I Wish You Happiness
by Eternal Fire
Summary: Those were the last words her teammate said to her. NaruSaku. M rated for slight lemon and adult language. Read second chapter for author's notes
1. I Wish You Happiness

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story or the anime that they are based on. This is intended for non-profit use only. All story basis and characters are the property of their owners. I Wish You Happiness

'I wish you happiness…Sakura-chan….'

That had been the last thing that he had said to her. Sakura Haruno sat on her bed with her knees pulled up against her chest contemplating the last words her former teammate had said to her.

'Naruto…'

She should feel happy. After all, Sasuke was back, and they had been dating for the last six months. He had returned about a month after defeating his brother Itachi. Despite Tsunade wanting to lock him up for life for abandoning the village and aiding Orochimaru, she had finally agreed to have him on house arrest for six months, and he was placed on a probationary period of one year.

Naruto had been the key to changing her mind. He had pleaded with her master to allow Sasuke to earn his place back as a Konoha shinobi. At first, Tsunade had said no, and Sakura had been devastated, but then Naruto requested to speak to the Hokage alone.

Ten minutes after she had left the office, Naruto had emerged with a smile on his face and told her that he had convinced Tsunade not to imprison their former teammate. She'd hugged him so tight that he'd nearly turned blue with lack of oxygen.

And so, Sasuke sweated out his six months of house arrest where he had an entire ANBU squad assigned to watch every movement that he made. Even after he was reinstated as a shinobi, he was still assigned an escort whether he was on a mission or in the village. He'd begun retraining as soon as he was allowed, and he joined Naruto and Sakura for their own workout each day.

It was just like old times, and Sakura had nearly jumped out of her sandals when Sasuke had asked her out to dinner one evening. She'd said yes without even thinking because she never saw the look of sad acceptance appear on Naruto's face from behind her. Their date wasn't all that romantic as Sasuke spent most of the time discussing his training or her skill level. She was glad that he appeared to be pleased with her acquired skills as a kunoichi. He'd walked her home that evening and left her at her front door. He hadn't kissed her goodnight or even said anything sweet or nice; he'd just turned and walked away. Sakura, though, was still happy because it was their first official date.

A week later, she'd received another surprise but this one made her quite upset. Naruto was being reassigned. He was being appointed as the Konoha representative to Suna and would have to relocate there permanently. When she'd asked or rather demanded the Hokage to tell her how she could have approved such a thing, she stated that it was because he was best friends with the Kazekage, and the town council had the final say in the assignment – not her. Since the town representatives were technically a political position, they were assigned and approved by the village council – despite the fact that it was usually a shinobi who was assigned to the position. Naruto did not appear happy either, but he said it was his job to obey the Hokage and what the council had decided. Sakura could not remember ever seeing Naruto just 'go along' with a decision like this, but as he said, there wasn't really a choice.

And so, Naruto was given a week to prepare himself for leaving. Sakura remembered how he'd spent each day with a different group of his friends. One day, it was Shikamaru, Chouji, and Ino; next day was Hinata and Kiba – who had been become quite the item themselves; next day was Rock Lee, Iruka, and Kakashi and so on. It was as if the entire week took ten times longer to pass by until it was Naruto's last day. He'd eaten lunch at Ichiraku just like always and quietly made his way to the main gates of Konoha. He didn't look back until a familiar voice made him stop.

'Naruto!'

Turning his head, the blond young man smiled slightly as a familiar pink-haired kunoichi appeared in front of him.

'Why didn't you ask any of us to see you off?' Sakura nearly demanded.

'I didn't see why it was necessary; I'm only going on a long-term mission,' he replied.

Sakura wasn't sure why she'd raced here herself; she hadn't even asked Sasuke to come with her. Staring into cerulean blue eyes, she began to feel a hole form in her chest. Without Naruto here, whom would she talk to; whom would she yell at; whom would she laugh with?

'What is it, Sakura-chan?' Naruto asked with a concerned smile. The young woman realized that might be a very long time before she heard herself called that again.

'Why didn't you say goodbye to any of us?' She wanted to add 'to me' at the end but kept her mouth shut.

'Sakura, I'm not disappearing off the face of the planet; I'm only traveling to Suna. I'm sure I'll see all of you again sometime.'

Naruto didn't want to drag this conversation on or he might reveal things that he did not want Sakura to know. His assignment to Suna had not been by chance, and only he and Tsunade truly knew why, and he intended it to stay that way.

'Why…' her voice began to crack slightly, '…why is this happening? We just got Sasuke back, and now…you're leaving!'

'It won't be that bad. I'm sure you'll forget about me in a week and everything will go back to normal – just a little quieter, ne?' Naruto said with a chuckle, but Sakura pinned him with her green eyes.

'Don't say that, you baka, don't say that I'll forget about you, dammit!'

'I didn't mean to upset you, Sakura-chan. I'm sure now that you and Sasuke are dating that you'll have plenty of things to do. You won't need me around to annoy you anymore,' he said with a cheeky grin.

Sakura's eyes began to tear up at his words, and Naruto set down the pack he was carrying. He put his hands on both of her shoulders and looked into her eyes.

'Hey…don't start crying or I'll never get out of here. Now, come on, where's my beautiful, feisty cherry blossom that I love so much,' he teased and drew a smile from his teammate.

'There's my Sakura-chan!'

'Baka,' she muttered and gave him a hug.

Naruto enfolded her in his arms and hugged her goodbye. They stepped back from each other, but Naruto did one final thing that surprised both of them. He slid his left hand up from her shoulder and cupped her cheek. Sakura felt him caress her face, and his eyes held the greatest expression of tenderness in them that she'd ever seen. A full smile broke out on his face, and he brushed her soft skin with the pad of his thumb.

'I wish you happiness, Sakura-chan.'

He removed his hands, picked up his pack, and turned to walk away. Sakura was frozen in place, but her hand came up to the cheek that Naruto caressed. She didn't know why, but she suddenly felt like she'd just lost a part of herself.

So, here she was sitting on her bed six months after Naruto had been reassigned feeling utterly miserable. She shouldn't be unhappy; she'd been dating Sasuke for the last half year. In fact, he discussed even possibly proposing to her in the near future. Sakura hugged her knees tighter to her chest and sulked until her best friend and roommate interrupted her.

"Hey forehead, why are in here brooding?"

"Just shut-up and leave me alone, Ino-pig!"

Ino looked at her best friend with a compassionate eye and sat down on the bed next her. Something had been off with Sakura lately, but she wouldn't tell anybody about it.

"All right, what's the problem? Sasuke forget about a date of yours or something."

"No, everything's fine with us, I just…I don't know how to explain…I just feel…off…"

Ino had become very good at reading Sakura – actually reading people in general as she was one of the best interrogators ANBU had.

"Hmm…could it possibly be that you feel like you're missing something…or someone?"

"What do you mean, Ino?" the pink-haired young woman asked.

"Oh, I don't know Sakura-chaaaannnn, why don't you tell me?" she replied and exaggerated the suffix on her name deliberately.

"Don't call me that!" her friend suddenly yelled, "I hate when people call me that!"

"Oh really, then how come you let a certain blonde-haired teammate of yours called you that for years, hmm," she teased.

"That's different! Naruto…he…well…he…he never listened when I told him not to…and…well…I guess…I guess I got used to it over time."

"Know what I think, forehead?"

"What?" Sakura replied, and Ino grinned at her.

"I think that you don't like anyone calling you that…except Naruto."

"That's ridiculous!"

"Yeah, then how come you don't let Sasuke call you that? Isn't he your boyfriend?"

Sakura stretched her legs out in front of her and stared at her hands in her lap. Sasuke had called her that once about a month ago just as a tryout, and she'd nearly screamed his ears off. She didn't want him calling her that! When he said it, it just felt…wrong.

"Want me to tell you something else?" Ino continued.

"What is it, oh mistress of relationships?"

"I think you miss that loudmouth knucklehead a lot more than you ever thought you could. I've watched you since he left, Sakura. It's like a part of you has shut down. Even when you're with Sasuke, you look content – not happy. There's a difference, Sakura; I should know."

"Oh yeah, explain that one to me."

"I've had boyfriends that make me content. I smile when I'm with them, and I have a good time. I laugh and grin and enjoy myself but don't see myself wanting to spend everyday with them. Now, someone who makes you happy is a lot different. They live in your thoughts all the time – just thinking about them makes you smile. They can make you laugh – truly laugh and make your day better just by being with you."

"Sounds like you're in love, Ino-pig," Sakura teased, but her grin disappeared at the serious expression in her friend's eyes.

"Oh my gosh, you are!"

The blond blushed prettily and put her hands to her flaming cheeks but nodded her head.

"You're right, I am in love, and the best part is…he loves me too. He's the last person in the world that I would've thought I'd want to end up with, but now, I couldn't want anyone else. I don't care what anybody would say about us; I want to be with him."

"He sounds like a great guy. I hope you told him that you have two overprotective surrogate brothers that go by the names of Shikamaru and Chouji who will disembowel him if he hurts you right?"

"That won't be necessary. Because…well…you see…"

Then, it clicked in Sakura's brain.

"It's one of them isn't it? Wait a minute, didn't Shikamaru get engaged to Temari a little over a month ago, and she'd castrate him for cheating on her…so that leaves…"

Sakura's eyes nearly bulged out of her head, and Ino's blush only deepened.

"Chouji! You're in love with Chouji!"

"Would you calm down before the neighbors here you," Ino hissed, but Sakura just gawked at her best friend.

"Yes, you're correct, Sakura. I know that it's surprising considering we both used to chase after Sasuke like bitches in heat!"

"Hey!" Sakura protested, and Ino grinned at her.

"I have to tell you though; I've never been happier than I am now. Even though he may not be the most physically attractive guy in the world, but he's still the most wonderful guy I know. He treats me like a queen. He's the sweetest guy sometimes – even when he doesn't realize it. Plus, he makes some of the best food I've ever tasted."

"Chouji can cook?" Sakura asked with a shocked look on her face.

"Like a gourmet chef. I really am a lucky woman. He treats me like a queen…he feeds me like a queen…and…my personal favorite…"

Ino stopped and waited for Sakura to lean closer.

"…damn, if the man isn't the best fuck I've ever had!" Sakura proceeded to fall off the bed.

"Ino! Jeez, how did I know you were going to add something about sex in here somewhere."

"I'm not lying, Sakura. Chouji is a gift to womankind, and I was lucky enough to snag him. It's the best of both worlds. He can make long, slow love to me until I beg him for more, or he can bend me over the nearest piece of furniture, hike up my skirt, and fuck me senseless. And just so we're clear on this part, forehead, the man is hung like a damn horse!"

"Wait a minute, Ino, those times you came home early in the morning, and you said that your legs were sore from training, it was…" Sakura began to pale as Ino smirked.

"All night endurance training with my plump loverboy," she replied cheekily. Sakura couldn't help but laugh at her comment.

"So, how long has this been going on?"

"About a year now."

"A year!" Sakura gasped, "and you haven't told me."

"We didn't want everyone putting in their two cents about us alright. As I said, what would people say if they knew we were together? I won't put Chouji through that."

"This coming from the gossip mistress of Konoha."

"Which is exactly why I haven't told anybody. The only other people who know are Shikamaru and Naruto."

"How did Naruto find out if I didn't?"

Ino blushed again and laughed nervously.

"Well…he came into my flower shop about nine months ago to buy some flowers – I'm guessing for you – and he kind of caught us having a quickie in the backroom."

Sakura's jaw dropped, and she stared at her best friend. Ino just shrugged her shoulders as she remembered the look on Naruto's face when he saw Chouji laid out on the floor with her bouncing up and down on his cock while his face was buried between her breasts. It had been an awkward few days, but Naruto had been happy that the two of them had found each other, and Ino had thanked him for his discretion about not telling anyone.

"Okay, beside the fact that I may have nightmares for a week from this, is there a point to this conversation?" Sakura asked.

"The point, forehead, is that you don't always look for happiness or love in the obvious place. For example, when Sasuke came back, you jumped at the chance when he asked you out. Now, tell me, when he kisses you, does it feel like magic? When he holds you, does it feel like you don't need anything else but that? Or better still, can a single look from him make you so hot that all you want to is drag him home and have your way with him?"

Sakura didn't chastise her friend for being crude but actually thought about what she was saying. Dating Sasuke had stopped feeling like a relationship and almost felt like a business contract. He never did anything really romantic and when they kissed, he always seemed indifferent with the way it made her feel. She could definitely say that he'd never made her hot under the collar before.

"So, what you're saying is that Sasuke isn't the one I should be with?"

"I'm not saying that one way or the other; you have to make that choice. What I see Sakura is that a part of you has disappeared since Naruto left Konoha. You didn't know that it was gone, but you couldn't be yourself without the idiot around."

Sakura couldn't deny what Ino was saying but did that mean she had feelings for Naruto? That was utterly ridiculous! I mean, sure he treated her better than anybody else she'd ever met, and he always made sure that she was smiling, and he always tried to protect her or encourage her. Plus, he never berated her skills or talents as a shinobi unlike a certain Uchiha did rather frequently; in fact, he loved training with her and seeing how they complimented each other.

They were best friends…teammates…partners…plus Naruto always used to say how much he loved her. Did his feelings change because she always rejected him…always hit him?

'No, he was always so sweet and gentle with me. He hated himself when he found that I was injured when he transformed into the Kyuubi. The baka wanted to kill himself for hurting me!'

"Hey Ino?"

"Yes?"

Sakura looked up at her lifelong friend with a bright smile on her face.

"Do you think that…well…Naruto…would he have me…if I asked him?"

"Uh…we are talking about Naruto Uzumaki right; the guy who worships the ground you walk on!"

"Yeah, that was a stupid question," Sakura chuckled.

"So, why the hell are you sitting here? Go get him!"

"What? I can't just…"

"Drag him back here! The hell you can't! You march your ass to Suna and tell Naruto exactly what you feel. And if necessary, you could just tie him down…" Ino trailed off with a grin.

"…and have my wicked way with him," Sakura finished a seductive wink. The idea suddenly had excellent merit. She may still be a virgin, but she could definitely think of a few things to do with that hard body Naruto had acquired.

"Sakura, you slut!" Ino teased but laughed as she saw her friend's face light up for the first time in months. The pink-haired kunoichi suddenly propelled herself off her bed and landed by her bedroom door.

"Thanks Ino, I owe you one. Although, considering who I'm going after…" Sakura waited until Ino looked in her eyes, and she grinned widely.

"I'd prefer being called a vixen!" and she ducked out of her door to avoid a pillow being thrown at her.

Sakura arrived a short time later at the top of the Hokage tower. Shizune was seated at her desk outside the door and smiled at Sakura as she approached.

"Hello Shizune, I'd like to see my shishou."

"Go ahead, Sakura, I'm sure Lady Tsunade would enjoy a visit from you – if only to stop doing her paperwork." The two women chuckled as Sakura knocked on the door.

"Enter!" a grumbled voice came from inside and Sakura entered the Hokage's office.

Tsunade hated paperwork with a passion. How in the hell did all of this accumulate anyway? She was relieved when she looked up to see her apprentice enter her office. She was also surprised to see Sakura practically glowing.

"Hello Sakura, what can I do for you?"

Sakura bowed to her teacher and put on a serious face.

"Hokage-sama, I request permission to travel to Suna."

'Well…well…well…this is interesting…'

"And for what reason would you have to go there, Sakura," Tsunade replied fighting to keep a straight face.

"I would like to…no…I need to bring back something that I didn't even know that I lost until today," Sakura answered.

"Hmm, something…or someone…" Tsunade couldn't resist teasing her apprentice. She knew all about the feelings that Naruto had for Sakura, and she hoped that they had started to be returned. Sakura blushed to the roots of her hair but did not look away.

"Shishou, I've recently learned that regardless of how crazy Naruto acts or how loud he is, he's the best thing that has ever happened to me. I need him to be myself. I'm asking you to allow me to bring that knuckleheaded baka back where he belongs!" she said firmly.

Tsunade almost fell out of her chair laughing. She'd never have thought that Sakura would say that with a straight face. She folded her hands in front of her face and tried not to grin.

"Very well, Sakura, you may go…on one condition…"

Tsunade moved her hands and grinned at her apprentice.

"You bring him home by any means necessary…and I do mean any," she said with an evil grin. Sakura's face broke out into a matching grin.

"Don't worry, if he doesn't listen to me, I'll just knock him out and drag him back here by his hair if I have to!"

"Excellent. Now, stop talking to me, and go get your man, Sakura!"

"Hai!" her apprentice replied with a brilliant smile.

Three days later, Sakura Haruno entered the gates of the sand village. She was met by two sand-nin, and she showed them her identification as a leaf-nin. Not knowing where Naruto's new residence was, Sakura figured the quickest way was to ask Gaara himself. So, assuming that the sand village's layout was similar to Konoha's, she head for the tallest tower in the center of town.

As she headed for her destination, she caught several young men – both shinobi and civilian –admiring her as she passed by. Sakura chuckled inwardly as she saw their eyes follow her figure. She was no snob when it came to her looks, but she definitely liked how she'd filled out over the years. Having grown several inches gave her a set of long, lean legs that she used to catch Naruto staring at on missions sometimes. Her hips flared out slightly which accentuated her taut buttocks, and she remembered how Naruto had once told her he liked the way she walked. Not knowing what he'd been talking about, she asked for an explanation, and he'd turned as red as a radish. After promising not to hit him, he'd gone on to explain that her butt had a slight wiggle when she walked so it made it sway back and forth almost like a ripe piece of fruit that you wanted to sink your teeth into. She'd punched him into a tree anyway while blushing hotly. However, Sakura's best kept secret happened to be her most drastic bodily change – her breasts. Even though she knew that Ino was larger than she was, Sakura was still very happy with her bust. She normally wore bindings under her shirt because, to be honest, they could be a hindrance during a fight so she wore the bindings to slim down her figure. She was certain that no one, except Ino, knew that her athletic body was capped off by two perky c-cup breasts.

'Naruto would probably be drooling like crazy if he knew how well endowed I was,' Sakura laughed to herself. However, considering that Naruto knew everything else about her, she wouldn't put it past him to know her real bust size. If he did, she'd have to interrogate him to find out how he knew.

Finally reaching her destination, Sakura was about to head up the stairs, when she spotted a familiar head of blond hair.

"Temari!" she called, and the sand-nin turned to face her fellow kunoichi.

"Sakura, this a surprise. Has something happened in Konoha? I thought Shikamaru would've been sent to tell us."

"No, nothing is wrong at all; I just came to see Naruto."

The older woman grinned slightly and observed the pinkette.

"Really…and why may I ask do you wish to see him, hmm?" she asked with a chesire smirk.

"I…I…he's my best friend and teammate, and I came to see how he was doing. I had some free time, and I haven't seen him in six months. Could you please tell me where he lives?" Sakura let out the breath she'd been holding as she managed to ask the question with a straight face.

"Of course, Sakura, why didn't you say so?" Temari replied not buying her answer for a minute.

After receiving directions from the older sand-nin, Sakura headed down the street that Naruto's house was on. She was a little upset because Temari told her that he was out of town on a mission right now and would not be back until tomorrow.

Reaching her destination, it didn't take much for Sakura to pick the lock and enter his apartment. Naruto didn't have very many possessions and nothing was valuable so he didn't really care about securing his residence very well.

Sakura looked around at his living quarters. It was slightly larger that his apartment in Konoha, but she was pleasantly surprised to see that he actually kept this one very clean. Everything was in its place, and it looked like you could eat off the counters. She removed the small pouch from around her waist and set it on his kitchen table and began meandering through the rest of his place.

Feeling a little nosy, she entered his bedroom and saw that he had a small desk in there and on top of it was a rather thick hardcover book. Her curiosity getting the better of her, she took a seat at the desk and opened the book. She noticed that the back half of it was blank pages so she leafed through it until she found the last written page. She gasped as she saw a date and year at the top of the page and Naruto's handwriting.

"This is Naruto's journal!" she said out loud and immediately slammed the book shut.

She couldn't read his journal; it wasn't right. But still…something in her made her hands reopen the book to the beginning this time. It started six months ago which is when Naruto first arrived here. Sakura moved to situate her legs more comfortably when her feet kicked something under the desk. Sliding back, she looked underneath to see several similar books underneath the desk pushed against the wall. She pulled them all out and found an additional eight volumes. She also found that they were labeled by numbers from 10-17; it was then that everything clicked.

"He's been keeping a journal since he was ten years old!" Sakura gawked. Her hands twitched as she thought about what secrets might be hidden in these books and things that Naruto never told her.

"I shouldn't do this; these are his private journals. What would he think of me for invading his privacy?" she said out loud again.

'Are you nuts?' her inner self suddenly shouted, 'This is the perfect opportunity to know more about Naruto. You said that you wanted to be better to him so start learning about him. After all, this is Naruto we're talking about; half his entries are probably about ramen!'

Her decision made, Sakura took the lowest volume and opened to the first page. It was dated the day that Naruto turned ten years old. Sakura had thought that she would find childish notations in there about ramen or other food, but she was surprised at seeing a series of questions written out over and over again. It kept asking about why the villagers hated him so much and why no one wanted to talk to him. He'd tried to make friends but parents wouldn't let their children anywhere near him.

As Sakura read on, the entries became more and more heart-wrenching as she relived the hell that was Naruto's childhood. He'd asked why people had thrown rocks at him or beaten him with sticks or refused to let him eat in their restaurant. The only answer he ever got was an angry glare and a smack across the face.

Sakura felt sick to her stomach as she read about the horrors of what the villagers had done to him. The only people who actually let Naruto eat at their place was at Ichiraku; that was why he ate there everyday; he had nowhere else to go!

The day passed by with Sakura going from one volume to the next and slowly sorting her way through the intricate mind of Naruto Uzumaki. She smiled as she read the accounts of her, Sasuke, and himself as Team 7 along with Kakashi and their escapades when they were younger. She was given a shocking realization when Naruto wrote how he would always try to take her mind off her rejection when Sasuke would refuse her by immediately antagonizing her and making her focus her attention on hitting him instead.

'That stupid, wonderful baka. He took all that punishment just so I wouldn't feel bad. Dammit, why was I so blind?'

Sakura continued on until she reached that fateful day when they were standing at Konoha's gates. She had begged for Naruto to bring Sasuke back, and she felt tears fill her eyes as she read about his conflicting emotions. He'd wanted to walk right up to her, wrap his arms around her, and tell her that everything would be all right. He wanted to tell her that he was still there for her, but he realized that it wasn't what she wanted. Or more specifically, he wasn't the one she wanted comfort from; she wanted Sasuke.

"Naruto…you loved me so much…even back then…"

Sakura sniffled as she continued on, and she found something that she never truly knew about – the fight between Naruto and Sasuke. Naruto had never been specific about what had happened between him and Sasuke but here it was in every detail. Sakura's eyes widened in shock as she read the harsh and sad recounting of probably the darkest moment in Naruto's life.

Later, when he was recovering in the hospital, she remembered hearing that Sasuke hadn't returned, and she hadn't wanted to see him after that. What kind of friend was she? Was she really that selfish? He never berated her though or got angry with her. He'd merely smiled that toothy grin and swore that he would keep his promise no matter what.

'That was the first time I think I smiled at him sincerely,' Sakura sighed.

Sakura continued through the other volumes as the day wore on until she reached the more recent ones – particularly the one involving his fight against Orochimaru at the bridge. Apparently, Yamato had informed Naruto that he was the one responsible for hurting her, and it nearly killed him right there. Sakura's eyes widened in horror as she read the end of Naruto's passage.

'The villagers were right; I am a monster. I've hurt the one person I swore I would never harm – my Sakura-chan. I don't deserve to be around her; I don't deserve to be her friend. I should be put down for the vile creature that I have become, but I can't until I've brought Sasuke back. I must fulfill my promise to her before I rid her of my miserable existence.'

Now, the tears did fall as Sakura cried for the pain she read in Naruto's words, and the pain she knew had wrenched his heart. She'd never spoken to him about what happened or said that she wasn't angry at him because it wasn't his fault. Instead, she'd said nothing, and that memory remained a festering, open wound on Naruto's heart until it became a deep, burning scar.

Sakura reached the end of the eight volumes, and she happened upon something that nearly crushed her heart with guilt. It was Naruto's recount of the meeting in Tsunade's office regarding what would happen to Sasuke. Sakura remembered that day when he'd asked to speak to the Hokage alone, and she grudgingly complied. He'd only been about ten minutes before emerging with a smile and great news for her…but there was a price.

Naruto had offered himself as the scapegoat to allow Sasuke to remain in the village. He'd put it to Tsunade very simply. Which would the council rather have in the village…the last sharingan user…or the nine-tailed demon child that everybody hated. If Sasuke earned his way back into the Konoha shinobi, people would give him their trust again, but he knew that he was cursed with a very different case. So…with a heavy heart, Tsunade offered the proposal to the council and within minutes had their answer; she was angry over how fast they were willing to just dump Naruto like a piece of trash. As he walked towards her door to leave, Tsunade stopped him with a simple but powerful question.

'Naruto, is this for Sasuke…or because of Sakura?'

He turned to face the woman who'd been like a mother to him and gave her a sad smile.

'Sasuke is who she wants. This is the only way I can make her happy.'

'You really love her, don't you?' Tsunade said with awe in her voice. Naruto looked her straight in the eyes.

'With everything that I am. No matter what I have to endure, if I can make her happy – just a little – then that's enough for me. I am what I am, Baa-chan. I'm a man that loves Sakura more than life itself…even more than being Hokage…but I also understand that all I will ever be to her is her friend and teammate.'

Naruto had then plastered a smile on his face and walked out of the office to meet her.

Sakura collapsed with her head in her hands and balled her eyes out. She wanted to throw up; she wanted to scream; she wanted to beat her head against a wall. She wanted to do anything to get rid of the gut-wrenching pain in her heart.

"Naruto…all this time…you've never left my side…you've always been my strength… You gave me everything you had, and I gave you nothing. I swear, I will never hurt you ever again; I will be the one to make you happy this time."

Sakura dried her tears and lifted her head from her hands. She sniffled for a few seconds before her face became a mask of determination, and she spoke from her heart.

"I love you, Naruto Uzumaki."

The words sounded so natural she didn't even have to think them. She then saw sunlight blaze through the far window and looked at the nearby clock. She was amazed to realize that she had spent all night reading. Naruto would be returning this evening, and she wanted to be ready. But first, she needed some sleep; she didn't want to face him looking like a zombie.

Sakura buried herself into his king-size bed and sighed as she found that the pillows smelled like him. She snuggled under the covers as her mind began to come up with ideas on how to confess her feelings to her beloved baka. She couldn't figure out the best way to do it until suddenly it all made sense. Naruto didn't need fancy or eloquent words; he merely wanted honest words and honest actions.

"Naruto…you've given me all of yourself time and time again, and tonight, I will give you myself in return."

Sakura smiled as she closed her eyes dreaming of being wrapped in Naruto's loving arms.

Naruto yawned loudly as he and Gaara entered the gates of Suna that evening. This mission was supposed to be an A Class ranking, but it turned out to be boring as hell. The supposed criminal faction that the neighboring feudal lord had reported to be terrorizing his lands had been nothing more than a group of rowdy teenagers who had too much sake and not enough discipline. It took all of five minutes for Naruto and Gaara to beat some sense into their heads and make them swear never to do anything illegal again.

"Man, that mission was pathetic; I'm so bored," groaned the hyperactive ninja.

"You are correct. This mission should be given to a training squad of genin ninjas – not us. However, the feudal lord had requested myself and the best ninja we had for the job so there's not much we could do to refuse it. Besides, you were still paid for an A rank mission Naruto, and you barely had to lift a finger," the kazekage stated flatly.

"I know, Gaara, but I'd prefer to earn the money I make. Beating up stupid punks is no work for a ninja; it's not honorable. That idiot of a lord just didn't want to get his hands dirty cleaning them out himself."

"You are probably correct, but again, he is in charge of a neighboring land, and we must respond to his requests."

"Man Gaara, I don't know how you deal with all these stupid idiots all day long; it would drive me nuts having to talk to fat, slobbery old men about nothing at all."

Naruto was treated at seeing his friend give a small smile or maybe even a grin.

"Well…what usually happens is that Temari accompanies me since her social skills in communication are quite better than mine. However, when the unsuspecting fool decides to flirt with or attempt to grope my sister…"

"I see where you're going with this," Naruto said with laugh.

"…they quickly learn the error of their ways," Gaara finished with a quiet chuckle.

"Damn right!" said a voice in front of them.

Both ninja looked to see a familiar, fiery blond sand-nin coming towards them with a smirk on her face.

"Hey Temari, what's up?" Naruto said happily, and the older ninja shook her head at the stupid grin on his face.

"Welcome home, brother, I trust everything went well."

"As Naruto said, it wasn't worth our effort of going there but it is over and done with so it doesn't really matter."

"It's a good thing you didn't come along, Temari-chan," Naruto teased, and the blonde immediately glared at him.

"What the hell's that supposed to mean, you idiot, and I've told you not to call me that!"

"Oh nothing, but we ran into several randy, young men who would've loved to meet you, right Gaara?" His friend nodded his head silently.

"I can just imagine them if they saw you…"

Naruto closed his eyes then snapped them open with a dopey look on his face and leered at Temari.

"…well…didn't know ninja were so cute…plus she's got a nice ass and a great rack too. Hey honey, want to come home with me?"

Gaara couldn't help it as the corners of his mouth turned up as he saw his elder sister ready to blow her top, but her cheeks still flushed a bright red.

"Uzumaki, I swear, if you weren't my brother's friend, I would spend the next three days slowly killing you," she hissed.

Naruto's face returned to normal, and he put his hand on Temari's shoulder.

"Now, come on, you know I respect you as both a ninja and a woman – just I like a respect every kunoichi that I know," he said seriously and looked her in the eye.

The fiery blonde's temper simmered down slowly, but then she got an idea for revenge.

"Oh yeah, Naruto, what about Sakura? Well…she's a kunoichi, and you treat her differently than anybody else."

Now, it was the younger ninja's turn to blush as thoughts of the girl he loved entered his mind.

"By the way, blondie, your favorite pinkette is at your house right now."

"What?" Naruto gasped, "Sakura-chan is here!"

"Yup, she got here last night; she said that she came to see you," Temari replied trying not to laugh as the young man's face lit up.

"I'm sure that Sasuke came with her, right?" he inquired.

"Nope, she came by herself; she said that she missed you and wanted to see you."

Naruto blushed deeply at hearing the response, and Temari smiled at him. The poor guy really was hopeless when it came to women. He was a real sweetheart, but he was such a dope.

"Well…I guess I better not keep her waiting any longer; I'll see you both later," and Naruto leapt up onto the rooftops heading for his home.

Gaara watched his friend head off and turned to his elder sibling.

"Temari, what are you doing?"

"Just a little woman's intuition. The look on Sakura's face when I talked to her wasn't the look of someone missing a friend; it was the look of someone missing the person they love."

"Ah, I understand, so it is like the look you wear all the time when Shikamaru is not here, correct," Gaara stated bluntly, and his sister flushed.

"Hey, I don't…" Temari smiled as she saw a ghost of a smile on his face.

"…nice one, little brother, very nice."

Sakura didn't know how, but she could feel Naruto getting closer and closer to her. She didn't know exactly when he was arriving back, but Temari had told her this evening so she made sure that everything was ready. She would wait all night if she had to.

'All right, Sakura, this is your last chance to change your mind about this…' she told herself before inner-Sakura suddenly slapped her upside the head.

'Don't even think about it! We've put him off for way too long, and it's time we claim him before someone else does!'

The thought of Naruto being with someone else solidified Sakura's decision; Naruto was hers! Her heart pounded in chest from excitement, and she nearly shrieked as she heard the front door open.

'It's time.'

Naruto entered his house fully expecting to see Sakura sitting at the kitchen table but all he saw was a note. Recognizing her handwriting, he figured she had probably gone out for something to eat as he picked it up to read it:

Hello baka,

I hope everything went well with your mission, and I hope that you aren't too tired or worn out. I have a surprise for you, Naruto, and it is something I should have given you a long time ago. If you will accept me, I will gladly be yours tonight and every night for the rest of our lives. I want to be with you Naruto – not Sasuke and not anyone else – just you. If you still desire me…if you still love me…come to your bedroom and claim what is waiting for you."

Always and Forever,

Your Sakura-chan

Naruto's hand was shaking by the time he finished reading, and his heart was pounding in his chest. This…this couldn't be true! Sakura-chan…his Sakura-chan…wanted to be with him! All he had to do was go and claim her.

Naruto did not bolt down to his bedroom like a lunatic but took long, steady strides as his mind whirled with the possibilities of what he might find. However, nothing his imagination could dream up prepared him for the sight that took his breath away.

The lights were off and candles were lit all over his room. The windows and drapes were closed to shield the room from outsiders, but Naruto's attention was solely focused on the occupant of his bed.

Sakura lay stretched out across his bed like a big cat. She wore nothing save a thin bed sheet that was barely covering her modesty, and her eyes darkened at seeing her beloved enter the room.

"Hey loverboy, come to claim what's yours," she cooed and batted her lashes at him.

Naruto gulped, and he stared in shock at the sensuous vixen in front of him. He knew Sakura was a woman now, and he knew that she had an incredible figure, but his eyes still raked over her body hungrily and possessively.

"S-S-Sakura-chan…why…why are you here…and…like this…I thought that you and Sasuke…were…well…together…" he stuttered trying to slow down his pulse as well as a massive erection growing in his pants.

Sakura rose from the bed clutching the sheet to her body and sashayed over to her blond teammate. Her eyes were full of desire, but at the same time, they were soft with love.

"Naruto…listen to me very carefully. Sasuke and I are not together anymore; we never really were to be quite frank. I didn't realize it until it was too late, but when you left, part of me left with you. I lost my best friend, and the person who had become the most precious to me. I'm not myself without you by my side; I can't be Sakura without you, Naruto! I realized how much of a fool I've been by using you all these years just so I wouldn't feel bad or to vent my anger."

Sakura looked up into the cerulean blue eyes that she loved so much.

"I realized how much you mean to me. I realized that…that…I…I…I'm in love with you, Naruto! I love you so much, and I'm sorry for being such a bitch to you all these years. I beg you to forgive me."

Naruto made a move towards her, but she stopped him with her hand.

"Naruto…you've given me all of yourself for so long, and I haven't given you a damn thing. If you will have me, everything that I am is yours for the taking…"

With that, Sakura released the edges of the sheet, and it fell away from her. Naruto had a full view of her nude body, and she made no move to hide herself from him.

Blue eyes blazed across her body taking in every detail – long, toned legs…a plump, taught buttocks…a cute patch of strawberry hair at the apex of her thighs…full, ripe breasts that were swollen with arousal…and a beautiful face with a welcoming yet hesitant expression.

"I'm yours, Naruto – mind, body, heart, and soul. The decision is now in your hands."

The young Uzumaki stared at his beloved for nearly five minutes, and Sakura began to worry that he no longer wanted her or was disgusted with her. Her heart began to tense when she saw Naruto unzip and remove his jacket.

'Is he going to claim me?' she thought silently.

Naruto stepped forward and wrapped his jacket around her shoulders, covering her body and hiding it from his eyes.

'He doesn't want me; he hates me!' she screamed to herself until his hand cupped her chin and lifted it towards him.

"Sakura-chan, do not ask me for forgiveness, for you have nothing to apologize for. I hold no grudge against you. You do not have to offer yourself to me to make me want you or desire you; I've always loved you Sakura-chan. That is something that will never change, so please don't think that you need to offer me your body to make me love you."

"No Naruto…" she gasped as he misunderstood her actions, "…I'm not trying to trick you or manipulate you. I want you to see me like this; I want you to be the only one to see me like this. I want you to be the only who can touch me, and the only one who can make love to me."

Naruto grinned at her words as he felt her sweet breath on his lips and finally fulfilled one of his longest desires – to kiss her.

Sakura nearly exploded with happiness as Naruto claimed her lips. It began as a chaste peck until nearly five seconds later when it exploded into an inferno. Sakura clawed at his back as Naruto swarmed into her mouth.

'This is incredible, and all he did was kiss me!'

"Sakura-chan…" he growled and nuzzled her neck, "I love you."

"I love you too, Naruto."

Pulling back slightly, he gazed down into those burning, emerald eyes and saw her longing for him.

"Sakura…know this…if I claim you here tonight, no one may ever touch you but me. I won't tolerate any man trying to take what is mine. I cherish what is mine, but I am also possessive of what is mine. I will love you always, Sakura, and I will never let you go."

"I won't allow anyone to take you from me either, Naruto. I will pound any woman who dares to touch my handsome fox. Now, if you're finished, I'd really like to get you out of these clothes," she growled and pushed her hands up under his black shirt.

Naruto chuckled as he pushed his jacket off her shoulders and bared her to his eyes once again.

"Do not worry, my beautiful vixen, I have waited a long time for this, and I plan on enjoying you all night long – if you will let me."

Sakura wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a kiss that was raw fire and passion.

"I want you to take me over to your bed and make love to me; I want you to make me scream while you fuck me senseless; I want everything you have to give; and I want it now."

To prove her point, Sakura jumped up and wrapped her strong legs around his waist. She rubbed her crotch against the front of his pants and grinned at the hard bulge protruding through the cloth.

"Well…if my lady wishes it…then it shall be done…" Naruto sighed and carried his beloved over to his bed.

Some time later, Sakura woke up to feel powerful arms wrapped around her, and someone nuzzling her neck lovingly. Turning her head, she found her lover staring at her with soft eyes and waiting for her to awaken.

"Hey sleepyhead," he said lovingly.

"Hmm…hey yourself," and she turned around to face himself inadvertently dislodging his spent cock from inside her, and she suddenly felt very empty.

Naruto caressed her cheek, and his eyes glowed with utter happiness. Sakura knew that her eyes matched his, but they were suddenly drawn to something on his upper chest. The kanji letters for her name were spelled out across his heart, and she looked at him curiously.

"Naruto…where did this come from?"

He smiled slightly at her and pointed to her chest. Looking down, Sakura saw a similar kanji across her heart except it was his name instead.

"How did this happen?" she asked rather confused.

"I'm not sure, but I'm guessing it happened when I marked you earlier," and he caressed the tiny puncture marks on the left side of her neck.

"We've bonded, Sakura-chan. From what Kyuubi told me, since I'm infused with his chakra this has different effects on each couple. There's nothing bad about it, but we'll just have to see what happens," he explained.

He cuddled her closer against his large body to comfort her, and she snuggled into his chest. She felt some of his seed leaking out of her holes and grinned silently.

'He really did fill me tonight!'

"Are you ready for bed, Sakura-chan?" he asked while stroking her hair.

"We're already in bed, baka," she teased and poked his chest.

"I mean sleep, you minx," he growled playfully.

"That sounds like a wonderful idea," and she laid her head against his chest.

Naruto managed to reach one of the discarded blankets and covered the both of them with it. He tucked his cherry blossom into his arms and kissed her lips softly.

"I love you…wife," he said while looking into her eyes, and Sakura practically glowed with happiness.

"I love you too…husband," and she kissed him one last time before closing her eyes for the night.

Naruto laid one last kiss on her forehead before joining his lover a few moments later.

Author's Notes: Sorry guys, but I had to post the censored version here. You can see the full version at if you want to. Let me know if I should continue this or not.


	2. Chapter 2

For unedited version, go onto google and search for 'A F F .net' . You'll find the store under the naruto section for naruto/sakura. Apparently, this was getting cut out for some reason.


	3. Truth and Revelations

Sakura awoke to the feel of soft kisses being laid on the back of her neck. She nearly purred with contentment and heard a husky chuckle from behind her. The lips on her neck moved to her ear and nibbled softly. Strong arms were wrapped around her lovingly, and a large hand cupped her breast. Fingertips teased the sensitive tip until it became as hard as glass, and Sakura gasped as her lover pinched it sharply. Turning her head, she found beautiful, blue eyes gazing at her with all the love in the world, and a foxy grin on their owner's face.

Naruto shushed her from saying a word as he saw her mouth begin to move. He lifted her top leg back over his hip and angled his waist down slightly. He growled in delight at finding her already wet and ready for him and slid inside her tight womanhood.

Sakura gasped sharply as her body stretched to accommodate his large girth, but she'd never felt better in her life. Lifting her arms, she wrapped them around her lover's neck as began thrusting in and out of her eager entrance.

Naruto's movements weren't demanding or lust-driven; this was all about a slow, sweet buildup. Both of his hands moved to her breasts and caressed their suppleness; his Sakura-chan had such perfect breasts. Even though the angle was a little odd, he craned his neck down and fused their lips together.

The two lovers never said a word as their bodies rocked together in perfect harmony. They had no idea how long they were lost in their own world, but it didn't matter to either of them. Sakura felt a well of pleasure burst inside her, but it wasn't an explosion or anything intense. Her orgasm was long, drawn out, and utterly wonderful; it was topped off by feeling the exquisite sensation of Naruto's own release spilling into her depths.

He laid soft kisses against her neck and nuzzled her softly.

"Good morning, Sakura-chan," he said with a goofy grin.

"Hmm, thank you for the wonderful wake-up call," she cooed.

After ten minutes of wonderful cuddling, Sakura knew that they had to get up soon. It had been a week since she'd come to Suna to fetch her beloved baka, and she was basking in the depths of being in love with Naruto. They were still in the sand village, and Naruto practiced with Gaara every morning so the pinkette knew he had to get ready soon.

"Naruto, you need to get up soon," she stated even though she'd much rather have him stay right where he was – his arms wrapped around her, and his cock buried deep inside her.

"I don't want to get up; I'm happy right here," he pouted rather pathetically and hid his face in her hair. Sakura chuckled and reluctantly evicted his shaft from its warm home much to the disagreement of its owner.

"Come on, we both need to get up," and she reluctantly slid out of the warm cocoon of his arms and climbed out of bed.

Sakura strolled towards the bathroom door, and Naruto let out a disappointed groan.

"Sakura-chan, come on, we can afford to be lazy now and again," he protested.

"We were lazy yesterday, baka, we spent half the day here," she answered. She was trying to look tough and authoritive while standing naked in Naruto's bathroom doorway.

"I know, I barely let you wear clothes yesterday," Naruto replied cheekily, and his eyes raked over her naked body.

Sakura then had a rather wicked idea to get him out of bed. Turning around, she swayed her hips back and forth knowing Naruto had a certain fixation with her sexy ass. Sure enough, his eyes followed her firm backside, and he almost started drooling.

"Come on, baka, you can wash my back," and she disappeared into the bathroom.

Naruto groaned again but climbed out of bed until he saw his beloved cherry blossom reappear in the doorway. She was facing towards him and cocked her hips to the side as if teasing him to come and get her.

"There, that wasn't so hard. Now, come on, and if you're a good boy, I'll let you wash all of me," and she licked her lips while running her fingertips down between her breasts towards the apex of her thighs.

Naruto saw red and within a matter of seconds he had her in his arms. Pushing her back into his shower and turning on the taps, he growled in approval at seeing his mate dripping wet.

"Don't worry, Sakura-chan, I'll be very good…"

He stepped in to join her and cupped her breasts firmly making her gasp in surprise.

"…but, I'm also going to be verrrrryyy bad," and he lowered his head to suckle on her breasts.

Sakura gasped in pleasure and clutched his head against her breasts; she nearly shrieked when his talented fingers began stroking her sensitive womanhood.

"Oh Naruto…I love it when you multi-task!" she gasped.

"Then hang on, love, cause I'm going to multi-task you to death," he laughed and went back to ravaging her.

An hour later, a widely grinning Naruto met Gaara at their training grounds. Temari had decided to join him this morning and arched an eyebrow at Naruto's gleeful look.

"Alright blondie, what's with the dopey look on your face?" she snickered.

"Nothing, I'm just enjoying this beautiful morning," he sighed happily, but Temari knew better.

"You are so full of it! There's only one thing that makes you smile like that, and it has pink hair on its head. So, she wear you out last night," she teased.

Naruto's smile just grew even larger, and he ignored her comment. He had hoped that Sakura could have joined him this morning, but she had actually spent the last few days at Suna's hospital. Since she was the best medic-nin around, she was helping out their staff and also making sure that all of their chakra techniques and healing remedies were up to date.

"Well Naruto, shall we begin?" Gaara asked and set down his jug of sand. His friend nodded at him, and the two walked out to face each other.

Temari was very anxious to watch this. This was the first time she was going to watch them train together, and she was very interested to see how they matched up.

However, before they even started fighting, Naruto formed a series of hand signs, and she felt a wall of chakra envelope the entire area.

"What was the hell was that?" the kunoichi gasped.

" A little trick Ero-Sennin taught me. It's a variant of genjutsu. It throws an illusion up over this whole area so people can't watch us train. It's designed so that if you are practicing with dangerous or secret techniques no one will see you or use them without proper knowledge."

Temari's eyes widened at his explanation, but she could definitely see the advantages of this jutsu. She further understood the reason as the two combatants went after each other with a vengeance.

Gaara immediately sent his sand out to envelope Naruto in a solid cocoon, but not more than a few seconds later, it was shredded as the blonde ninja used his wind chakra to slash through the hardened shell.

From there, they mainly kept to taijustu, and it was quite an even match. Temari was mesmerized as she watched the two friends trade blow for blow. She knew that her brother was the strongest sand-nin there was, but he was barely keeping up with Naruto. She was amazed at the young man's speed and agility – not to mention his power.

'It's a good thing he's on our side; I'd hate to see him as an enemy.'

Five hours later, the pair finished, and Temari was exhausted just from watching them. Her brother was breathing rather heavily, but Naruto had barely broken a sweat.

'His stamina is just unreal!'

The two friends shook hands, and Naruto grinned at the sand-nin.

"You've gotten faster since last time, Gaara."

"But your stamina is still unmatched, Naruto."

"Nah, Sakura-chan can out last me any day of the week," he replied.

"Is that in training or in bed, Naruto," Temari cut in with a smile, and she chuckled as the young man blushed furiously.

Naruto pressed his hands together, and his illusion barrier dropped to allow the trio to leave.

"Oh man, I'm starving!" Naruto growled, and his stomach answered right along with him. The two sand-nin siblings look at each other with similar expressions. Some things never changed.

Without his daily supply of ramen anymore, Naruto was nearly catatonic until Temari had forced to eat something else. Actually, it was really a matter of Shikamaru freezing Naruto with his shadow jutsu, and Temari shoving the food down his throat until he acquired a taste for it, which thankfully for her took all of fifteen minutes.

Naruto had discovered he enjoyed several types of food such as teriyaki dishes and chow mien noodles. He still thought that ramen was his favorite, but it was a nice alternative to have. The three sat down in a small café off the main street. They frequented the place regularly after training so the staff knew immediately what to bring them.

"Guess who?" a soft voice stated, and a pair of hands covered Naruto's eyes. He could smell his beloved behind him and grinned widely.

"Hmm, let me see now. Who do I know that has such a delightful scent? I believe it would be a beautiful cherry blossom with a gorgeous smile," and he turned his head to see said smile on her face.

"Hi," he said simply and pulled her down onto his lap. Sakura set herself down on his knee but not too close.

"Ewwww, you're all sticky and sweaty, Naruto," she teased and ran her fingers through his sweaty hair.

"I thought you liked me this way, Sakura-chan," he answered in a husky whisper.

She leaned closer so only he could hear her and licked her lips seductively.

"Only when I'm the cause of it, love," she replied and pecked him on the lips.

"Uh, you do know there are others here too right?" Temari asked with a grin. The two lovers had completely ignored everything else but each other. Naruto's food had even shown up, but he hadn't noticed it yet.

'That dope must have it bad for her if he didn't even notice his food.'

Sakura slid off her lover's lap into an adjacent chair. Naruto happily shared his lunch with her. Considering he ordered five times the normal amount, there was plenty to go around.

"So, how was training today?" she asked, and Naruto quickly swallowed a mouthful of noodles.

"Great! Gaara's gotten even faster than last time so it's really an even match between us."

"We only practiced taijutsu today, Naruto; you would have beaten me easily if we would've gone all out," his friend interjected.

"Ah, come on, I'm not that good. I mean, I probably would have won, but you definitely would have pounded me at the same time."

Gaara looked at his friend with quiet eyes and did not say anything else. Naruto had no idea how much more powerful he had become in the last six months. The leaf-nin had spent his first three months here not even in Suna but someplace else entirely. Only he and Naruto knew exactly where, and if anyone ever found out, they would probably call them both crazy.

"Sakura-chan, are you finished at the hospital today?" Naruto asked, and his lover nodded.

"After we're done here, do you mind if we go home. There are some things I need to talk to you about, and it is going to be better if I show you."

The pinkette looked for the humor in his words because she figured it would be something silly, but his face was dead serious.

"Sure, Naruto, you know that you can tell me anything," she replied and squeezed his hand.

A short while later, Sakura followed Naruto inside his apartment. She sat down at the kitchen table and waited for whatever he was going to tell her. Naruto came out of his bedroom holding a rather thick scroll and a small box. He set them down on the table and sat down opposite of Sakura.

"Naruto, before you start, there are two things I need to tell you as well, but I'm not sure how you're going to take them," she stated while fidgeting restlessly.

"What are they?"

"Before I left Konoha, I had made a decision that I was coming to get you and bring you back home. More importantly, I had made up my mind that it was you I wanted to be with, and I wanted it to be you that loved me. The problem was that I had officially been dating Sasuke since you had been gone so I had to tell him how I felt before I left. It wouldn't have been right if I had just left him with no explanation," Sakura explained

"I wouldn't have expected any less from you, Sakura-chan."

"Looking back though, I almost wish I hadn't talked to him," and she lowered her head.

"What happened between you two?" Naruto prodded, and Sakura began to explain.

Sakura Haruno was on a mission as she quickly packed her necessities for her travel to Suna. She was going to bring Naruto home with her if she had to drag him back here by his hair. She was finished and ready to leave when someone knocked on her door. Checking her peephole, Sakura gawked to see Sasuke standing outside her door; she'd totally forgotten about him. What was she going to say to him? She couldn't just leave and not tell him what she was doing. Gathering her wits about her, she opened her door and asked him to come inside.

"Hey Sasuke, I'm glad you're here; I need to talk to you."

The dark-haired young man looked at the serious expression on her face and wondered what the problem was.

"Sasuke…I…I…I'm not sure how to go about this exactly so I think it would be best if I just said it simply. I can't be your girlfriend anymore," and her statement made the Uchiha's eyes widen slightly.

"And may I ask why not? You seemed to be quite happy with our situation; I don't recall you ever complaining about our relationship before now."

"You're right, I haven't. This is so complicated to explain. Saying that I 'seemed' to be happy is good way to explain it. I thought I was happy being with you, but after looking at my feelings for last six months, I realized that I wasn't. I was content with being with you, but my heart truly wasn't in it. It has nothing to do with how you treated me, Sasuke; I just can't force myself to ignore my feelings anymore. Please, I don't to keep lying to you or myself anymore. I thought that my feelings for you when I was a young girl were actual love, but I've learned what loving someone really is, and I didn't love you. I was infatuated with you."

"Oh, that makes me feel a whole lot better," Sasuke sneered.

"I'm not trying to insult you; I'm trying to explain myself alright."

"Just save it, Sakura, you're saying that when I first asked you to dinner your response was based on how you felt when you were eleven years old and acting like a stupid fangirl," he accused.

"Truthfully, yes, it was. I wanted to see if my feelings for you were still there, and if they were, if they had matured along with the rest of me. I wanted my attraction to you to be based on how I felt for you now instead of when I was eleven years old. I know that doesn't make much sense, but it's really the only way I can explain it."

"So why the change? What changed since six months ago that caused…" Sasuke stopped talking as his mind gave him the answer, and an angry sneer crossed his face.

"Don't even tell me this about Naruto!"

Sakura's face turned slightly red, and that gave her away. Sasuke actually laughed.

"Don't even tell me you have feelings for that, dobe, please. He's like a walking container of idiocy; he can barely walk down the street without shouting something stupid."

"That's not fair, Sasuke. Naruto spent years trying to get you to come back here because you were his friend. He worked so hard, and he shed so much blood. He…he…he even made a promise to me that he would bring you back…" Sakura stated as tears started to fall from her eyes.

"Oh great, here come the tears. Am I supposed to feel sorry for you now, Sakura? Naruto didn't bring me back here if you remember. I came back here of my own free will. The dobe tried to bring me back here before, and it took me nearly killing him before he finally shut up. He kept going on and on about how he was going to stop me from making a mistake; he was the only mistake I ever made. The only reason I didn't kill him was because it was what Itachi wanted me to do. He told me I had to kill a precious friend to obtain the Mangeyou Sharingan, but I wanted to obtain it in my way so I left Naruto unconscious instead."

Sakura's eyes were wide with horror as she listened to his words.

"Sasuke…how…how could you?" she gasped.

"That's already ancient history, Sakura; it doesn't matter anymore."

"It matters to me!" she growled and stomped her foot.

"Oh, stop pouting like a two year old. Jeez, if this is how you behave, I don't want to go out with you anymore so you have what you want."

Sasuke walked out her front door but stopped before closing it. He turned his head and sneered at her cruelly.

"I hope you enjoy being that demon's whore!" he spat out and slammed the door behind him.

Something inside Sakura snapped, and she tore out the door after him. She leapt down the stairs and caught up to him at the bottom.

"What the fuck did you just call me?" she shouted into his face.

"You heard me loud and clear, Sakura. I hope you enjoy being the Kyuubi's bitch; I'm sure you know that it lives inside Naruto. Do you really think you can have a normal relationship with that idiot? Maybe you'll grow whiskers and a tail on your way to see him."

"That's enough, Sasuke!"

"Oh, did I strike a nerve. Tell me, Sakura, were you planning to just bend over when you meet him and drop your panties, or better yet, did you want to beat him up first and then let him fuck you as a punishment for yourself," Sasuke said with a sick smile on his face.

Sakura had heard enough. She slammed her chakra-enhanced fist right into Sasuke's stomach, and she smirked as she heard something crack. The young man doubled over in pain, and she backed away from as he took a swing at her.

"You bitch, you're going to pay for that cheap shot," he growled as he held his injured ribs.

The pink-haired kunoichi turned away and prepared to leave when a nasty idea came into her head. She turned and looked at Sasuke again.

"By the way, Sasuke, just so you know…" she waited until he looked her in the eye.

"…I'd rather be Naruto's whore than an Uchiha's wife," and she jumped up onto Konoha's rooftops bound for Suna.

Sakura finished her story, and Naruto's jaw was on the floor. He quickly recovered though and took her hands in his.

"Sakura-chan, I want you to listen to me. Don't you ever think for one second that you are a whore or slut. You're not! You're simply a woman who wanted to be happy, but you weren't to sure what made you happy in the first place. So help me, if Sasuke ever calls you that again, I will personally castrate him!" he growled menacingly.

His lover smiled and clutched his hands tightly.

"Naruto, you don't have to go that far; I know that I'm not. Although, I do enjoy being your wanton, little vixen," she cooed and licked her lips making him smirk at her.

"And I love you for it," he said as he kissed her fingers.

"That was the harder of the two to explain, Naruto, but I still have something else to confess to you that I did before you came back from your mission with Gaara."

"I doubt it could be any worse that what you've just said so go ahead."

"Well…the first day I arrived here you weren't home so I nosed around a bit. Well, I went into your bedroom and saw a book on your desk. Curious person that I am, I opened it and realized that it was your journal. I immediately closed it because I didn't want to invade your privacy, but something in me couldn't stand not knowing what was inside."

"So you read the whole thing," Naruto cut in with a neutral expression on his face.

"Yes, and I also found the other volumes you had under your desk. I read all of them over the course of the day. I read everything – your childhood, our early adventures, the battle with Orochimaru, the meeting in Tsunade's office – everything. I…I…I'm so sorry, Naruto, but I kept having this nagging voice in the back of my head that wanted to know more about you. I know it sounds stupid, but I guess I thought that you were keeping things from me that you didn't want me to know. I know it's not an excuse, and I wouldn't blame you if you got angry at me," she sighed and lowered her head in shame.

Naruto squeezed her hands again and shook his head. He asked her to look him, and she saw no anger in his eyes.

"Sakura-chan, I am not angry with you; I have no secrets from you; I thought you knew that by now. I just wish you hadn't read certain things in there. I didn't want you to have to see what happened me as a kid. It was a long time ago, and I don't want to remember it anymore. I don't want to keep secrets from you which is why I'm showing you this…"

Naruto let go of her hands and unrolled the parchment across the table. Sakura recognized the design immediately; it was a legacy scroll. Most ninja clans kept a legacy scroll of their history and major events. Also, it contained a list of all members belonging to the clan.

"Naruto! This…is this…"

"My family's legacy scroll. Baa-chan gave to me just before I left along with this box. This scroll contains the names of my ancestors…and my parents."

"Your parents! Oh Naruto, I'm so happy for you; you finally found out about your parents!" Sakura said happily, but something didn't make sense to her.

"Wait a minute, why did shishou wait so long to give you this? I mean, why would she hide this from you?"

"Because of who my parents are," Naruto answered.

He walked around the table to her side and rotated the scroll so she could read it.

"My mother's name was Kushina Uzmaki; she was a kunoichi from Whirlpool Country. She wasn't a strong combat ninja, but she had a massive supply of chakra along with excellent control. In addition, her body could handle high levels of chakra output for long periods of time. She was one of the best support ninja there were."

"What about your father?"

Naruto paused for a long second before he unrolled the scroll further.

"My father's name was Minato Namikaze."

That name struck something in Sakura's mind, but she couldn't put her finger on it. Naruto did not say anything so she thought about it for a minute until her eyes shot open.

"The fourth hokage!" she gasped, and Naruto nodded slightly.

"Your father was the fourth hokage!"

"Yes, he was married to my mother in secret to hide her from his enemies. My birth was also concealed for that reason as well. However, when the Kyuubi incident happened, my existence was brought to the forefront when my father sealed him inside of me."

"But Naruto…why would your father do that to you? Why would he curse his own son like that?" she said with tears in her eyes.

"I'm not entirely sure, but my guess is that he didn't want to use someone else's child. He'd rather have his son hate him than sacrifice someone else's son or daughter."

"Sounds like something you would do," Sakura cut in, and Naruto nodded in agreement.

"But I still don't see why he would seal a demon inside of you."

"Sakura…Kyuubi is no demon," Naruto said firmly, and she looked at him in shock.

"What are you talking about? Of course, he is; he nearly destroyed the village back then. What about what his chakra's done to you numerous times," the pinkette said angrily.

"Let me explain, Sakura. Kyuubi is no longer sealed inside of me."

"WHAT?" she shouted and jumped up from her chair.

"What do you mean he's not sealed anymore? You mean to tell me he's out there roaming around ready to rampage and destroy everything!"

"Sakura, Kyuubi does not attack someone unless he is provoked. He is what is called a spirit fox. They have a code of honor just as shinobi do which is they only attack when threatened, and they do not harm anyone without a specific reason."

Sakura couldn't believe what she was hearing, but how did Naruto know all this?

"Naruto, how do you know that? I know that Kyuubi was locked up inside you for a long time, but how can you know that for sure?"

Something poked Sakura in the leg, and she looked down to see a tail wrapped around her leg. It was a tail made of red chakra, and it was coming from Naruto!

"Sakura-chan, I know all this because Kyuubi is no longer sealed inside me; he is a part of me," and his normally blue eyes changed to dark red with slits for pupils.

Sakura drew back slightly, and Naruto looked hurt but understood her doubts.

"Wait a minute, Naruto, you're telling me that you have full control over the Kyuubi! I thought his power was toxic for your body."

'Kit, you might want me to explain this to her,' came a voice inside Naruto's head.

"Sakura, there is someone I would like to you to meet."

The young man closed his eyes, and red chakra enveloped his body. Sakura was surprised to see it detach from Naruto and form a shape of its own. It took the form of a fox with nine tails. The kitsune sat back on its haunches and grinned slightly at the stunned pinkette.

"It is a pleasure to see you in person, my dear, I'm glad to see the kit has excellent taste in women," the fox chuckled, and Sakura felt like she was going to faint.

"You…you…you're…" she stuttered.

"Yes, I am the Kyuubi no Kitsune. This is my true form. That large intimidating one that most people are familiar with is essentially created from chakra as way of frightening my opponents. Now, I believe that I can answer your question."

Sakura was still stunned that she was talking to a fox – much less the Kyuubi, and Naruto was trying hard not to laugh.

"After the kit left Konoha, one of things he did was spend a lot of time talking to me in my cage inside his mind. That was the cage his father created from the seal, which locked me inside him. Originally, I didn't want to even talk to him, but the kit is as stubborn at they come, and he asked me something I never thought I'd hear."

"What was that?"

"He asked me for my side of the story. The people in Konoha, and humans in general believe me to be this monster of massive chaos and destruction. That, of course, is based on stories that are washed over so many times it's sick. Yes, it is true I had a conflict with Konoha all those years ago, but I did not start it. First of all, do you think I could just suddenly appear? No, I was summoned."

"By whom?" Sakura asked. She was becoming quite intrigued by the beast.

"Someone I believe your former teammate in Konoha is familiar with – Madara Uchiha."

"But, he's dead, isn't he?"

"There are ways to stay alive for long periods of time, Sakura, you should know that from seeing Orochimaru. Madara summoned me as part of his revenge against the Uchiha clan for their so called betrayal of him."

"I don't understand. What betrayal?"

"I'll take it from here, Kyuubi," Naruto cut in.

"Sakura-chan, on this scroll, there was also a seal which contained my father's journal. It contains the truth about what happened eighteen years ago. As you know, the Senju and Uchiha clans were the ones who founded the leaf village. Now, there was a dispute over who should be the first Hokage. The leader of the Senju clan was chosen based on his merit and character, and the members of the Uchiha clan agreed to his appointment – except for Madara. He felt betrayed by his own clan, and his anger towards grew to enormous proportions. They had betrayed him so he felt they had no right to exist anymore. He then began a plan to wipe both clans out completely. However, he was not alone in this plot."

"There were others as well?" Sakura couldn't believe what she was hearing, but the scariest part was that she began to see the pieces fall into place.

"Madara Uchiha had the chakra and power to summon me, but he could not control me. So instead, he decided to use me to destroy Konoha for him. That is where the next player in this sick drama comes into play," Kyuubi continued.

"Madara was not the only one who did not approve of the first Hokage's appointment. One in particular I believe you have heard of before – Danzo."

Sakura's eyes widened again, and Kyuubi saw her mind begin to work.

"Danzo and several others on the original council did not like the first Hokage. The main reason was that he appointed several members of the Uchiha clan to key positions in Konoha. They were qualified for their posts, but Danzo felt that the Hokage appointed them to appease their cooperation in supporting him as their leader. Danzo also did not like the Uchiha clan in the first place so when Madara came to him with the idea to wipe them out he jumped at the chance. It was really quite simple when you think about it. Madara Uchiha would summon me, one of Danzo's men would provoke me, and I would destroy Konoha for them allowing them to rebuild it however they chose."

"If that's true, why did they wait so many years?" Sakura questioned.

"I don't know the exact answer to that. However, I believe that it pertains to the story of Itachi Uchiha. Madara and Danzo wanted absolute confirmation that the Uchiha would be wiped out. So, preying on his good nature, they secretly ordered Itachi to carry out the slaughter of his own family the night I was summoned. In return, Madara offered to make me disappear from Konoha once the clan was dead. The young man was forced to choose between his clan and the entire village. Of course, he didn't know that Madara could not have sent me away if he wanted to in the first place; I'm not that easy to get rid of."

"And so it went that Madara Uchiha summoned me to Konoha that night eighteen years ago. One of Danzo's ninjas – I believe you call them Root – secretly attacked and provoked me to make sure I headed straight for Konoha's center. During this chaos, Itachi carried out the massacre of his clan with the exception of one person…"

"That would be Sasuke," Naruto interjected.

"…Exactly. Itachi realized too late that Madara could not send me back so as penance he left Sasuke alive hoping that someday his little brother would come for him. Danzo allowed himself to be injured in the ensuing battle to absolve himself of any blame or accusation. No one would know about Madara Uchiha's involvement because they thought he was already dead. The fourth Hokage was forced to seal me inside his newborn son as a last resort, and the rest is history."

"I…I…don't believe this. The scary part is that it all makes sense – especially after Danzo had Sai spying for him on our team," Sakura said with a shake of her head.

"Sakura-chan, your next question is probably going to be why I let Kyuubi out. The answer to that question is very simple; he was used just like the rest of us; and no one bothered to ask him for his side of the story. I, more than anyone, know the feeling of being judged without moral or just consideration. I had done the same thing to the Kyuubi for eighteen years, which is why he became very angry and bitter. It took quite a while for him to calm down and trust me," Naruto explained.

"So, if the Kyuubi was set free, why is he a part of you now?"

"I'll answer that one, kit. Because I was inside Naruto for so long, I can no longer take a solid form for long periods of time anymore. I existed as pure chakra for eighteen straight years, and I cannot survive without something to serve as my anchor. You may remember what happened to that Sora kid when my chakra was expelled from his body; it disappeared into thin air. I explained this to the kit, and being the honorable person he is, he offered me a compromise. He would allow me to merge completely with him in exchange for I would never try to undermine his personality. He would be the dominant one and allow me to continue to survive. Of course, after I agreed, he could have just shoved me to the back corner of his mind again, but Naruto never does anything normally. So, the two of us experience just about everything simultaneously – except of course when the two of you are alone together. Naruto is very picky about keeping you to himself," the Kyuubi finished with a chuckle.

"Damn right, I don't want anybody spying on us," Naruto grunted.

Sakura was flabbergasted as she took in everything she heard this afternoon. She found out that the man she loves is the son of the fourth Hokage, friend to a spirit fox, and keeper of the fox's enormous power.

"So Naruto, do you have access to Kyuubi's chakra at all anymore?"

"All nine tails, but they don't hurt me anymore. Best of all, it won't hurt you either."

"What do you mean?"

"You are the kit's bond mate, Sakura, and that bond was infused with my chakra. Any decent male knows you don't hurt your mate – unless she asks for it!" he said with a grin.

"You're thinking about her again aren't you?" Naruto stated and looked at the fox.

"About who?" Sakura asked.

"Kyuubi is thinking about his own mate."

"He has a mate!" the young woman gasped.

"Yes, I've actually met her; her name is Kyoko," Naruto stated as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

"What do mean you've met her?"

Naruto stood up and took a deep breath.

"Sakura-chan, I think it's time I showed you where I was training for most of this half year I've been gone. Plus, I want you to see where Kyuubi came from. All you have to do is trust me."

He extended his hand, and Sakura instinctively took as he helped her to her feet. Naruto picked up the box on the table as they prepared to leave.

"Where are we going?"

Kyuubi chuckled slightly, and Sakura watched his form dissipate and return back inside Naruto's body.

"The place where summons come from, Sakura. People call it various things, but the most popular two are Spirit World and Demon World."

The young woman's widened again, and she clutched her lover's hand tightly. Naruto raised his other hand, and red chakra enveloped the two of them. Not more than few seconds later, the pair disappeared right out of the kitchen.


	4. Fox Village

Sakura had shut her eyes when they disappeared not knowing what to expect, but Naruto's statement of they had arrived caused her to open them. She took in her surroundings and was quite amazed. The sky, which she was used to seeing blue, was now a deep royal purple. The vegetation and landscape was similar to Konoha, but the terrain had jagged rock formations that stuck out at random spots. She saw the gates to a village close by and figured that was their destination.

"Don't worry, Sakura-chan, everything will be fine; this whole territory is overseen by the spirit fox village so there's nothing to be afraid of."

Taking her hand, he led her towards the gates where two guards stopped their advance. Sakura noticed that they were dressed similarly to shinobi except they wore no forehead protectors or clan markers. However, both of them had fox ears on top of their heads; one guard had a single gray tail behind him while the second guard had two blue tails behind him.

"Ah Naruto, you've come back again I see," one of the guards stated.

"Hey Ryu…Kenji…how have things been?" answered the blonde without so much as a twitch.

"It's been quiet since the last time you were here; the wolves haven't been causing anymore trouble since then. And who is your companion?" the two-tailed guarded asked looking at Sakura with an appraising eye.

"This is Sakura…my mate," Naruto said with a slight growl, and the two men immediately stopped their leering, making the kunoichi chuckle inwardly. The two men bowed to her slightly, and she returned the gesture.

"Is Kyoko-san here; I actually came to see her and let Sakura meet her."

"Yes, she should be at her residence," the single-tailed guard answered. The two men allowed the couple to pass, and Naruto thanked them as they entered the village.

Sakura recognized a lot of familiar noises such as people shopping at a marketplace, children running around, and women haggling with shopkeepers over prices.

"Naruto…I thought this was a spirit fox village so why is everyone human?"

Both Naruto and Kyuubi chuckled at the same time.

"Sakura-chan, do you notice how everyone has a fox's ears and tails?" and she nodded in response.

"They have the ability to change their form whenever they choose, but most spirit foxes can only change into their human or animal form. It's just easier for everyone to be in human form all the time. If necessary, they will change, but most people just do it out of habit. Kyuubi also has a human form just as his mate does."

Sakura was becoming more intrigued by the minute as Naruto led her through the town. She could see that some people recognized him and nodded or smiled fondly at her beloved. She could feel a sense of peace radiating off of him, and she regretted how her fellow villagers had treated him so horribly.

"Naruto-niichan!" a voice shouted right before the blonde was tackled to the ground by a blue and white blur.

Sakura steadied herself from the impact and saw a young girl who looked about seven years old hugging Naruto tightly.

"Midori-chan," he said soothingly and patted the girls head soothingly. She looked really cute in her white summer dress, and she had long blue hair running down her back. Of course, she had fox ears on top of her head, and three tails dangled behind her. She had vibrant red eyes, and a smile that could outshine the sun.

"And how has my little princess been?" Naruto stated with a bright smile.

"I've missed you, Naruto-niichan."

"Have those boys been bothering you again?" he questioned the little girl.

"Was someone bullying you, dear?" Sakura cut in, and Midori turned to look at her.

"Who are you?" she said defensively and clutched the front of Naruto's shirt.

"Midori-chan, this is Sakura; she's my mate. To answering your question, love, some older boys were teasing her because she has freckles on her face, and I merely explained to them why they shouldn't judge others so harshly."

He tried to sound mature, but Sakura knew better. He probably gave them a good knock on the head and had the poor kids begging for mercy.

"Naruto-niichan, why is she your mate? I told you I wanted to marry you," the little girl puffed out her cheeks and pouted. Sakura was trying hard not to giggle; she looked so cute.

"Now Midori-chan, you know that I told you about Sakura before right. Didn't I?"

The little nodded her head and sulked.

"What did I tell you about her?"

"That you loved her very much, and she was the only one you wanted to marry."

Sakura was astounded as she listened to the little girl's words, but she saw Naruto staring right at her while she spoke. The kunoichi felt humbled at his devotion to her, and she fell in love with him all over again. Midori climbed off of his lap and walked over to Sakura.

"You better not hurt him, or you'll have to answer to me!" she said while trying to act intimidating.

Sakura smiled and bent down to her eye level. She saw the seriousness in the little girls eyes and took a deep breath.

"Midori, I swear that I will never hurt Naruto or mistreat him; I love him too much. However, I promise you…from one woman to another, okay?"

"All right," the little girl conceded, and Sakura was surprised when Midori gave her a hug. She returned it eagerly while Naruto got back to his feet.

"Midori-chan, where are you?" a voice called, and the little girl immediately detached from Sakura.

A woman who appeared to be in her early thirties came running towards the trio. She had the same long hair as Midori and the same eyes.

"Mama!" the little girl said happily, and the woman scooped her up into her arms.

"Sweetie, how many times do I have to tell you not to go wandering off?"

"But mama, I was just saying hello to Naruto-niichan," the little girl pouted.

"Hello Sayuri-san, it's good to see you again," Naruto said with a smile.

"You as well, Naruto. I'm sorry if Midori was bothering you."

"Of course, she wasn't; I love talking to her. I would also like to introduce you to my mate, Sakura Haruno. This is Sayuri, Midori's mother and chief archiver for the village."

"Very nice to meet you," Sakura stated and bowed, and the older woman returned the gesture.

"So, this is the young woman you told all of us about; your fanclub is going to be disappointed she was real."

"Naruto…sweetie…what fanclub is she talking about?" Sakura asked with her voice dripping of sour sweetness.

"Oh nothing…just a group of girls who kept trying to mate with me," he replied nervously.

"What?" the pinkette hissed angrily, and Naruto cowered back slightly.

"Nothing happened, Sakura-chan, I swear. I told them I wasn't interested; I even told them about my feelings for you; but they didn't listen to reason."

"Well Naruto, I can't say that I blamed them. You did help save our village from an attack from the wolf clan plus you spent a year helping us repair everything. On top of that, you're not exacting hard on the eyes," Sayuri teased making the young man blush.

"Wait a minute, Naruto, I thought you were only gone from Suna for three months?" Sakura questioned.

"I was, Sakura-chan. You need to understand. Time moves at a faster pace here, but people still age the same as in our world. For every month that goes by in our world, one year passes by here," he explained, and Sakura's eyes widened in shock.

"Wait a minute, so Sayuri-san, does that mean that you're…"

"I just turned 350 a few weeks ago," the woman stated calmly, and Sakura nearly fainted.

"So Midori is like 100 already?"

"No. When our children are born, they age one year just like human children do. Once they reach maturity and complete…I believe the human term is call puberty…their bodies and metabolisms fully mature, and they aging process slows down. The older we get the slower we age. Of course, we can still be killed during battle or from an illness, but rarely do our people die of old age."

"That's amazing; I can't believe it," Sakura gasped.

"The eldest of us are Kyoko-sama and Kyuubi-sama which I'm sure Naruto has told you about."

"How old are they?"

"To be honest, dear, none of us really know, and no one is crazy enough to ask Kyoko-sama that question. She is little touchy about her age; the last person who asked her nearly wound up in a body cast for a month," Sayuri answered with a grin.

"Mama, I'm hungry," Midori interrupted.

"Alright sweetie, let's go home. It was good to see you again, Naruto, and to meet you Sakura."

"The same to you, Sayuri-san, bye Midori-chan," and the couple waved as the mother and daughter headed home.

"So Naruto, sounds like you had an eventful time when you were here before," Sakura teased.

"Well, the first time I cam here, they almost threw me out. No one believed that the Kyuubi was inside me so I had to bring out his chakra to convince everyone. About a month after I came here, the wolf clan, who are the fox's main rival, attacked the village to try and take over their territory. You see, Sakura, Kyuubi isn't just the head of this village; he is also the lord of this part of the Spirit Realm. This world is divided into three portions – the swamps and oceans, mountains and deserts, and forests and plains that we are in now. Each section is overseen by a specific clan, and the clan is led by a single spirit or demon if you will."

"So, Kyuubi is in charge of this section. Who governs the others?"

"One, I believe you my have heard of already. The swamps and oceans are overseen by Gamabunta – the master of the toad sages. You know, the giant frog that Ero-sennin fights with."

"Okay, and the other?"

"The other I have only met once; he pretty much keeps to himself. His name is Raiden; he is the master of the dragon clan."

"Dragons! You mean…as in flying, fire-breathing…" Sakura gawked.

"Yes. Each of the masters has lived together in peace for thousands of years. They respect one another's territories and live under a permanent truce with each other. Of course, there are still skirmishes within their realms much like the battle with the wolf clan, but the other masters will not interfere in one another's battles. Meaning, when the wolf clan attacked here, the fox clan could not ask the dragons or toads for help. It is their responsibility for training their own soldiers to fight or acquire knowledge to protect themselves. That is why shinobi can summon in the first place. The creatures who live in this world like the toad sages want to learn new arts like ninjutsu and genjutsu so they can protect themselves."

"I guess that makes sense; it just sounds complicated."

"I try not to think about it too much since I'm not here enough to be involved. The fox clan has more than enough strength to deal with any attack; I just helped them out because I was here at the time. But enough of that, I brought you here to meet Kyoko, and Kyuubi is getting antsy to see his mate so let's go."

A short time later, they arrived at a large residence in the center of town. As Naruto ushered them towards the front door, Sakura was captivated by the beautiful landscaping around the building. There were several dozen flowerpots with various multicolored flora in full bloom, and there were also several evergreens artistically cut into different shapes as well. Naruto banged on the front door a few times before opening it and showing them inside.

"Kyoko-san!" he called through the house.

Sakura liked the interior of the home as well. It was elegant and lush, but it wasn't snobbish or overdone. There was excellent woodwork done on the doorways as well as the banisters leading up the second floor. She turned towards a side hallway to view what appeared to be an area for greeting guests leading out to a courtyard.

"Naru-chan!" a voice called out, and Sakura quickly turned around.

There was her beloved being practically smothered by an extremely attractive woman. She had stunning violet eyes and long, auburn hair that flowed down her back like silk. Two fluffy ears adorned her head, and eight tails swayed behind her. She was wearing an elegant gi and skirt combination that reached to just above her knees leaving her beautiful legs to be admired. What bothered Sakura though was that Naruto's face was buried right between the woman's voluptuous breasts. Now, the kunoichi knew she wasn't flat chested herself, but she felt a little self-conscious staring at the well-endowed older woman.

'She must be at least a DD in size,' she said silently.

The woman was clutching Naruto in her arms like a teddy bear, and the poor young man was trying to pry himself out of her vice-like grip.

"Kyoko-san, that's enough!" he groaned as pushed himself away from her.

"Ah, Naru-chan, why are you mad? I thought you liked me," the woman said sadly, but Sakura could tell she was just sugarcoating her words.

"Don't play that game with me. You know that pathetic little girl look doesn't work on me; you've used it one too many times!"

"You're no fun!" she laughed, and Naruto chuckled along with her. He suddenly felt very cold, and his heartbeat shot up as he felt Sakura's chakra flare up next to him. She looked ready to blow, and he had to think fast.

"Kyoko-san, I would appreciate it if you wouldn't 'hug' me like that anymore; you're upsetting my mate," he said firmly and walked over to Sakura.

"Your mate?" the older woman gasped.

Naruto could see his vixen was still seething so he clasped one of her fists in his hands and squeezed it firmly.

"Yes, this is Sakura; I believe I've told you about her many times. She's my beautiful cherry blossom," and he kissed her fingers. Sakura's chakra dimmed down, but she was still angry.

"Ah, so this is that young woman. I see she's quite possessive of you. Don't worry, young lady, I won't steal him from you," she said with a laugh.

"Is that so?" the kunoichi spoke for the first time with nails for words.

"Of course not! I'm a married vixen after all. I just love teasing Naru-chan; he's so cute when he blushes, isn't he?"

Naruto blushed at her teasing, and Sakura finally calmed down. She'd settle this with Naruto later, but she didn't sense any ill intentions from the woman.

"Yes, I am his mate, and I would appreciate it if you kept those (Sakura pointed her finger at the older woman's chest) to yourself please."

"I can see why Naru-chan chose you; you're just as protective of him as he is of you."

"How do you know that?"

"That's easy," Kyoko said with smile, "when Naru-chan started becoming popular with the female foxes around here, several tried to convince him they were better for him than you. He would instantly become angry and defend your honor without a second thought. When he told me that you were involved with someone else, I was surprised at his actions. He simply told me that he loved you and no one else; that was just the way it was. So, that's why I'm surprised he's calling you his mate," she finished.

Sakura felt her heart swell at hearing the story, and she looked to see Naruto nodding his head with a blush on his face.

"You're right, Kyoko-san; I was with someone else. However, I realized that no one could make me happier than this wonderful idiot so I set out to correct my mistake and make sure that Naruto knew that I loved him no matter what. He's mine, and I'm his."

"Good, that's the way it should be. So, what brings you here?"

"Not what, but who?" Naruto stated with a wide grin. Closing his eyes, red chakra erupted from his body and moved in front of Kyoko.

Sakura watched as the chakra took human form this time. Her eyes widened at the gorgeous man in front of her. He looked the same age as Kyoko. He had shoulder-length reddish brown hair topped off by two foxy ears lined in black, and nine tails swayed behind him. His deep red eyes could melt lead, and his body could make any woman drool. Sakura followed Kyoko's eyes as they trailed over her beloved, and the older woman licked her lips.

"Kyuu-," Kyoko was cut off as her mate swept her up into his arms and kissed her hungrily. She moaned in pleasure as her mate devoured her mouth and wrapped her legs around his waist.

"Oh jeez, would you two get out of here before you fuck right in the doorway," Naruto chastised with a grin.

Kyuubi didn't even response. He wrapped his arms around Kyoko and placed them firmly on her shapely ass. Not even letting go of her mouth, he somehow managed to carry her upstairs without running into anything and disappeared down the hallway.

"Well, that was interesting," Naruto laughed, and Sakura couldn't help but chuckle as well.

"Sorry about Kyoko, Sakura-chan, she gets carried away sometimes. You must know though that she loves Kyuubi deeply, and he loves her the same. When foxes mate, they mate for life and never take another partner. Even when Kyuubi disappeared, Kyoko never took another mate. She merely carried on ruling in his stead as was her duty and waited for her beloved to return."

"I can't imagine what type of dedication that must take," Sakura replied in awe. If she could wait so long for her husband to come back, she was truly an amazing woman.

"Kyoko is an amazing woman. The village council that they have here even offered her a chance to accept another mate since Kyuubi was nowhere to be found. It was normally against the law, but they made an exception since her mate had been sealed away, and she had no idea where he was. She turned them down emphatically and said that she would not defy her union with Kyuubi like that. She had no short line of men waiting to court her I can tell you that. She's the second most beautiful woman I know."

"The first would be…" Sakura prodded.

"You, of course," he replied cheekily and kissed her firmly.

"How did she react when you came here?"

"At first, she was in shock, and I slowly had to explain the situation to her. As you know I'm not very good with words, but eventually she understood what happened. Once I let Kyuubi out, the first thing she did was punch him square in the face. He flew out of the room and slammed into a wall down the hallway. Fortunately, she forgot about me and stomped downed the hallway after him. I could hear her swearing and shouting at him until I thought my ears would bleed."

"What happened after that?"

"After her screaming died down, I was worried that she may have killed him so I looked down the hallway and nearly died of embarrassment. Kyuubi was sitting on the ground with his back to wall he'd slammed into. Kyoko was straddled across his lap and riding him like a wild stallion. Needless to say, I didn't stay around too long," he finished with a blush, and Sakura's cheeks tinted as well.

Upstairs, Kyuubi staggered into the master bedroom with his mate clawing at his clothes. Kyoko unwrapped her legs from around him and proceeded to tear off his clothes until he was standing there naked with a huge erection. Kyuubi growled and pulled the sash off her gi quickly disposing of her clothes. His red eyes raked across her luscious curves and gorgeous body; this all belonged to him alone. Kyoko wrapped her arms around his neck and grinded her hips into his straining shaft.

"Are you going to stand there and stare, my love, or are you going to take me over to our bed and fuck me like the animal that you are," she purred into his ear.

She went to back towards the bed when Kyuubi's arms came around her. He lifted her off the ground and wrapped her legs back around him. Cupping her ass, he angled her hips and slammed his cock deep inside her. Kyoko shrieked as her mate filled her after such a long time apart.

"I am an animal, my horny vixen. That's why I'm going to fuck you right here; then, I'm going to take you over to our bed and fuck you some more."

Their lips met as hungrily as their hips as the couple released all of their pent up emotions in one primal mating dance.

"Oh damn, I've missed you, Kyoko."

"And I've missed you. Now, shut up and take me, fox!"


	5. Marking Territory

Back downstairs, Naruto took Sakura's hand and led her toward where the guest rooms were located. Both of them froze mid-step when a voice rang out.

"Oh damn, fuck me, you horny beast!" Kyoko's voice shouted. Naruto shook his head while Sakura blushed furiously.

"Naruto, don't the neighbors complain about the noise?" The blonde just smiled widely.

"No. You see, every bedroom has its own soundproofing jutsu around it; the two of them must have been too busy to close the door," he said cheekily, and Sakura rolled her eyes.

"Come on, I'll show you to the room I stayed in last time; it'll be plenty for the two of us. After that, what do say we grab something to eat? I'm starving, and it'll give the lovebirds upstairs time to be alone."

"Sure Naruto, that sounds great."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sakura had to admit that she was starting to like this place. The room Naruto had taken her to was beautifully decorated, and the center point was the king-sized bed. Sakura blushed as she could think of making very good use of that later. They had left the house and headed down the street to a small caf .

Sakura was pleased to see that their eating-places were very similar to the human realm, and she saw Naruto nearly drool with anticipation when the waitress handed them their menus.

"Naruto, stop it, you're making a puddle on the ground," she grumbled.

"Sorry, Sakura-chan, but it's just that..."

"What?"

"...they serve ramen," he replied with a cheeky grin, and Sakura nearly fell out of her chair laughing.

"You baka, so that's why you wanted to come here!"

"Yes, and I knew they made all kinds of things you'd like to eat."

"And how do you know what I like to eat? I've only been with you a week."

"True, but I still know your tastes. You like chicken stir-fry as long as it's not too spicy. You also like salad, but you ask for the vegetables on the side so you can cut them up and mix them in yourself. You like to put soy sauce on eggs, and you like things that are more sour than sweet."

Sakura gawked at him in astonishment. How did he know all that? Not even Ino knew her quirks when it came to eating certain things.

"I'm not always empty-headed, Sakura-chan; I do know some things. It's easier for me to play the blockhead because I can make people eat their words when they underestimate me."

"Naruto, it doesn't take much for you to be a blockhead," she teased, and he feigned a hurt expression.

"Now...don't pout. I see they have a sushi bar here as well so I'm going to check it out. Since you know me so well, go ahead and order for us, and I'll be back shortly."

Sakura grinned as he tried to ignore her, but she knew that he'd order for her. He knew she was just joking with him; plus, she'd make it up to him later - when they were alone.

'Jeez, I have a one track mind when it comes to him. Naruto may act like a blockhead, but he is a genius in bed.'

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The kunoichi spent about ten minutes wandering up and down the sushi bar, and she had gathered a large plate of various things for them to start munching on. She turned back towards their table and nearly dropped her plate.

Naruto was sitting at their table, but...so were four other girls as well. Each of them had fox ears and tails; there were two brunettes, a blond, and one red head. Sakura was quickly analyzing their attributes, and she nearly bit her tongue off when they tried to snuggle up to her mate.

'Those must be from Naruto's fanclub. They better not touch him, or I'll break them in half.'

She could see Naruto getting nervous at the girls' advances, and he repeatedly pushed their hands away as they tried to grope him. One girl even put his hand right between her breasts, and that was when Sakura had quite enough.

'That's it! I'm gonna hang those sluts up by their tails and kick their asses!'

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Just before she lost her temper, her inner self gave her a very sneaky idea; it would definitely shut those girls up.

"Hey, cut it out!" Naruto groaned and batted the girls' hands away again.

"Oh Naruto-kun, we've missed you so much," the redhead purred seductively.

"We've been waiting for you to come back," the blonde added and leaned against him. The shinobi tried to shift back, but the other two girls blocked his chair.

"Look, I already told you; I'm here with my mate. We came to see Kyoko."

"Now Naruto, you don't have to lie about having a mate; we know you don't. You just like playing hard to get with us don't you?" one of the brunettes behind him teased and pressed her breasts against the back of his head.

"Actually ladies, I would be his mate," came a voice which made five heads snap around.

Sakura Haruno stood there with sweet smile on her face, and Naruto began to sweat profusely. Something wasn't right here; she was way too calm. He then noticed that Sakura had unzipped her red shirt slightly so the zipper now rested right in the center of her cleavage. The girls were shocked speechless, and the two behind Naruto quickly sat down next to their friends, taking up all the seats at the table.

"Sakura-chan....um...I...uh...well that is..."

Naruto had no idea what to say. He knew Sakura was going to pound him; he just wanted to reduce the damage. To his shock, she merely set down the plate of food she was carrying in front of him and looked at each of the girls.

"That's right, I'm Naruto's mate and wife as we humans call it; my name is Sakura," she said without a trace of anger.

"Naruto...you should have told me you had such wonderful friends here; they all seemed to care about you so much. I saw how attentive they were being to you. Why don't they join us?"

The blonde shinobi was beside himself. He looked up waiting for fire to started raining down from the sky. This was not Sakura. The Sakura he knew would have screamed at the girls for touching him and then pounded him into next week for letting them touch him.

"I'm sorry, but there isn't any place for you to sit," the redhead said to Sakura with a fake smile. The pinkette returned it with a wide grin of her own.

"That's okay, my favorite seat is wide open," and she sat down across Naruto's lap. He jumped slightly and but wrapped his left arm around her waist to steady her.

"You don't mind do you, my love?" she cooed at him while stroking his whiskers.

"N-N-Not at all, Sakura-chan," he groaned as he felt himself developing a very fast erection. Dammit, did she have to stroke his whiskers? He knew he'd regret the day he mentioned to her that they were very sensitive.

Sakura settled herself comfortably on his lap and leaned against his chest. She gave him a warm smile and stopped her stroking. Naruto smiled in thankfulness until he realized his next predicament. His cherry blossom had situated herself so he had a view straight down her opened shirt. He gulped as he saw those firm mounds encased in lacy black bra, and each breath she took caused a slight ripple across their lusciousness. He caught her eye and moved his gaze downward to silently explain to her what she'd done. Sakura merely smiled again and ignored his concern.

'She wants me to see down her shirt!' Naruto gasped silently.

His attention again was quickly captured by the four other women who were sitting at their table slowly seething. Each of them of was readily pissed off at Sakura's 'seating arrangements'

"Listen well, ladies, because I'm only going to say this once," Sakura's voice cut off his thoughts. Her sweetness was gone, and she was ready to spit nails.

"Don't ever come near my Naruto again. That goes for any other members of this fanclub of his. He's mine and mine alone. The only woman he touches is me - period! The only pair of breasts he wants to look at are mine - just like he's been doing since I sat down. Right, Naruto?" she asked, and her lover blushed giving the girls the answer without a word.

"Get the picture, girls. Human or fox, I'm the only one Naruto wants and loves. Now that I'm his, I won't let anyone take him from me. Now, if you ladies would care to leave, we wish to eat in peace. And when we're done, I'm going to take Naruto somewhere private and make full use of the massive erection I'm sitting on right now."

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto gasped in embarrassment, and the girls' eyes widened again.

"Now, beat it!" she hissed, and girls quickly exited the caf .

Quite proud of herself, the pinkette slid off his lap and into one of the unoccupied chairs. Naruto was breathing heavily, and she took his hand. The waitress brought their food to their table and set it down.

"Nicely done," she muttered to Sakura as she walked away, and the kunoichi grinned slightly. Naruto pulled his chair closer to the table and gulped loudly.

"Sakura-chan...that was a little much, don't you think?"

"Why? Would you have preferred if I hit you and then yelled at them like a banshee?" she countered.

"No...but, could you have picked a way that was a little less painful for me," he groaned and tried to make his erection go away. Sakura licked her lips and smiled evilly.

"Too bad this caf doesn't use tablecloths."

"Why?" Naruto asked nervously. She leaned over and whispered in his ear.

"Because I could slide underneath it, unzip your pants, and suck all the frustration out of you," she purred.

"Sakura-chaannnn," he groaned and dropped his head on the table. The throbbing in his pants was getting unbearable.

"Don't worry, Naruto, after we eat I'm planning on doing exactly what I said."

Hearing her words, the primal part of his brain kicked in, and he snapped up so his eyes met hers. He clenched his hands tightly and pulled her against his side.

"You better be prepared, Sakura-chan. I'm gonna teach that naughty, little ass of yours what happens when you tease me," he growled dangerously.

"You gonna discipline me?" she shot back.

"I should after that little display of yours."

"Just marking my territory," she defended.

"You never had to, Sakura-chan. I love you; you know that."

"I love you too, but remember, I'm still your wanton, little vixen too so I'm not letting a bunch of hussies mess with my mate. It feels a little weird calling you husband since we haven't been married yet though."

Naruto let his predicament go for the moment and looked deeply into her eyes.

"Sakura-chan, merely name the time and place, and I will gladly see to it that you have the wedding of your dreams."

"Thank you, love, and we will do that in time. I know nothing is going to change between us, and I know that you don't need a piece of paper to be faithful to me. That's why I like calling you my mate. It sounds so primal, but I have to admit I enjoy it."

Naruto squeezed her hand and smiled lovingly.

"And I like hearing you say it, Sakura-chan. You are my mate, and I promise you that you will also be my bride as well," and he kissed her hand reverently.

Two tears fell down the pinkette's face, and she kissed her beloved baka with all the passion in her soul.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Author's Notes: Sorry about the filler chapter guys, but I had this scene stuck in my head, and it had to come out. Next chapter will be the last one in the fox village, and a major decision will be made concerning our main couple.


	6. Chakra Fusion

Sakura stretched her arms above her head as she walked down the stairs. She still couldn't believe it had already been six months since she'd come to this place. Although, it made sense since only half a month had gone by in the human world. Yawning slightly due to the workout she'd had last night with Naruto in bed, she couldn't help but grin. He was still laid out in their bed and gave no inclination of moving anytime soon. She smelled something wonderful coming from the kitchen and headed inside to see Kyoko cooking breakfast. The redhead was wearing a long robe with a slit in the back so her tails could stick out properly.

"Good morning, Sakura," the older woman said with a smile.

"Morning, Kyoko."

XXXXXXXXXX

The pinkette had to admit she'd come to like the woman a lot. After their interesting introduction, Sakura found that Kyoko was very much like her. She was very protective of her mate and got jealous very easily. Sakura had explained about the incident at the restaurant, and the older vixen had laughed so hard her sides hurt. She also found out that Kyoko was an expert at medical techniques. Some of them were jutsus, and others were simply treatments and antidotes.

The two women had spent many long hours going over various medical procedures and learning a lot from one another. They talked about their lives in general as well. Sakura explained to Kyoko about her family in Konoha and her friends. Naruto had already explained to Kyoko a lot about the early years they had known each other so she didn't go into that much, but she did go into their times after Naruto had come back from training. Kyoko talked about her time since Kyuubi had disappeared and how lonely she had been sometimes. She explained that a large part of her wanted to leave the village and go looking for her mate, but she knew that her duty to her village came first. Kyuubi would not have abandoned their people, and she would not either. Naruto had been glad that the two of them got along; he had feeling the two of them would understand each other.

XXXXXXXXXX

"By the way, Kyoko, I've been meaning to ask something for a while now."

"Sure, what is it?"

"I've noticed that both you and Kyuubi have the most tails out of anyone in this village, and I was curious what that means exactly."

"Ah, that's a rather lengthy answer, but I suppose we have time until the boys come down. The number of tails represents different clans. You probably noticed that people have different shades of fur to go along with their number of tails. The tails and fur differentiate the clans. Our village is made of members of each of the clans. Even though the clan with one tail has less ability than say the clan with six tails, they each have the same number of council seats and authority. Each clan has its strengths and weaknesses per say. However, the only member of the eight and nine tail clans left alive is myself and Kyuubi."

"Why is that? Did something happen?"

"Call it nature's way of balance I guess. Very few are ever born with eight or nine tails. The reason being is what the tails represent; they are mastery of elements. Each tail represents an element that the fox spirit is born with plus an inherent ability to use it at full potential."

"Incredible. They are born as masters of elements!"

"Yes, of course, they are still trained to focus their abilities to prevent a disaster from occurring, but most of it comes naturally to them once they begin."

"Wait a minute, Kyoko, if that's true, why do you have eight tails and Kyuubi nine. There are only five elements – earth, water, wind, fire, and lightning," Sakura said with a look of confusion.

"Those are the only elements known to the majority of the human realm, my dear," the vixen said with a wide grin, and the pinkette's eyes widened in shock.

"So…you're telling me there are four more elements!"

"Yes. The remaining four elements are the most powerful and most difficult to control. In addition to the basic five, I am also a master of three other elements – light, darkness, and void."

"What are those exactly?" Sakura prodded now very interested.

"Light element is the basis for all medical jutsus. How did think that healing by chakra came about. Naruto has told you that members of our world crossed over to the human realm to learn and share techniques. By working with humans, we learned to advance our control of light element, and in exchange, shinobi discovered they could use their chakra for medical purposes instead of combat. Darkness element is a little trickier to explain, but I believe one of your own shinobi clans could easily explain it. Naru-chan told me of the clan in your village that can manipulate shadows; I believe their name was Nara."

"Yes, they are able to use their chakra to control shadows thereby immobilizing or killing an opponent if necessary."

"That is a variant of the darkness element. I also assume that the Nara clan are the only ones who can use this technique, am I right?"

"Yes. Most shinobi clans have what are called bloodline limits; they are abilities specific to their family's blood."

"Sounds very similar to us as well. Darkness element can be very dangerous though because if you use it incorrectly, it can swallow you from the inside out."

"You also said there was a void element; that sounds almost like an oxymoron. How can nothing be an element?"

"I know it sounds a little strange. A better way to describe it might be the ability to absorb and if necessary reflect. From what Naru-chan has told me, there is another clan in your village by the name of Hyuuga. They have an ability with their eyes to read people's chakra systems and read its weak spots; that is a variant of the void element. He also mentioned that your former lover Sasuke had a more powerful version called a Sharingan in his eyes, correct? That technique is a combination of darkness and void element, which is why it is so powerful. The problem is that if it is used too much it will consume the catalyst, which uses it. In their case, the user would go blind over time."

"Are you serious?" Sakura gasped.

"Yes, I am."

"That's incredible! Also, if you would, please don't call him my lover. We kissed, but we never slept together," Sakura said gruffly. After what Sasuke had called her, she didn't want to think about him anymore.

"I'm sorry, Sakura, I didn't mean to upset you."

"It's alright, Kyoko. It's just…sometimes I feel like such a fool for waiting years for him to come back so I could tell him how I felt. Then, I come to find out that all along I'd fallen for that blonde baka upstairs. Everything I wanted Sasuke to give me, Naruto had been giving to me for years, and I didn't even ask for it."

"Love cannot be asked for, Sakura, it must be given freely. That's why when I heard Naru-chan talk about you I knew he loved you from the bottom of his soul."

"Sometimes, I feel like I don't deserve it though," the cherry blossom sighed and lowered her head.

Kyoko stopped her cooking and pulled the young woman into a motherly hug.

"Hey, I'll let you in on a little secret. Kyuubi and I didn't meet in any romantic way; he was just there for me when I needed him to be. I remember how all the dates I had spent half the time staring at my breasts and trying to squeeze my ass while I wasn't looking. Back then, I was the hottest vixen in town plus I was a virgin so all the guys wanted to be the one to mate with me."

"So, what happened?"

"I had just finished a really bad date. The stupid fox had tried to kiss without my permission so I dropped his ass right in the middle of the street. As I was heading home, he and a group of his friends jumped me and pulled me into the shadows. Apparently, he'd spiked my drink with a drug that would cause you to lose control of your body, but it would still respond to stimulus. He'd planned on me dumping him so they all could get a piece of me," Kyoko nearly growled.

"How did you manage to get away?" Sakura asked in horror.

"I didn't. Kyuubi saved me. He had been on night patrol and saw the foxes dragging me into the shadows. They'd already started tearing my clothes off when a blur whizzed by them. Within a matter of seconds, all four of them were planted face first into the ground. I swear, I think he was ready to tear their organs out with his bare claws if he had to. When he saw me lying on the ground, he blushed slightly because my breasts were nearly exposed, and my skirt was torn off. He took off his gi and wrapped it around me body. I had seen him around the village before, but I never knew he had such a gorgeous physique. He picked me up in his arms and asked if I was all right. He took me home and laid me in bed like a bride on her wedding night. He was really sweet too. He brought in a bowl of water and cloth and placed it on my forehead to cool me off. He remained at my side until I fell asleep. When I woke up the next morning, he was gone, but his gi was still wrapped around me. I looked to the side of the bed and saw a bouquet of flowers he had left for me. I know its sounds sappy, but I though it was the cutest thing. He didn't even know me, and he was buying me flowers! Well, I took it upon myself to find my knight of a fox and thank him."

"So…what happened after that?" Sakura said with enthusiasm.

"It turned out that Kyuubi was actually quite shy so he tried to me avoid at first. It finally took some drastic measures on my part before he would talk to me."

"What did you do?" the pinkette asked seeing the sly grin on her friend's face.

"Well…being the sexy vixen that I was, I decided to let him know that I really liked him and wanted to see more of him – literally. So…I found out where he lived and snuck into his room one night. As it turned out, he slept nude, which suited me just fine. I stripped off my clothes and slipped into bed next to him. When he woke up the next morning, he found me lying on top of him as naked as he was. He was shocked, and I asked him why he had been avoiding me. He explained that he was worried I might be traumatized from that night and didn't want to antagonize me further. I responded by kissing him full on the lips; I had never met anyone who cared about me that much. I remember feeling him tense under me, and I felt his arousal against my backside. I looked into his eyes and stroked his cheek. I knew then that those were eyes I wanted to see every morning for the rest of my life. He said my name, and I said his, and that was it! We spent the entire day in his bed, and I'd never felt so wonderful as when he touched me. We've been together for over five thousand years in our time, and we're still as randy as a pair of horny teenagers," Kyoko finished with a cheeky grin.

"I know, I heard you two the first day I was here," Sakura giggled.

"What can I say? I missed the sexy fur ball."

"Kyoko, I can't imagine what it must've been like when you didn't know what happened to Kyuubi. I've only been with Naruto for a short time, but I think it would drive me crazy if he suddenly disappeared with a trace. I can't tell you how much respect I have for you that you didn't lose your mind over it. Plus, Naruto and I are leaving today so that means Kyuubi will be leaving again as well. How do you do it?"

"Sometimes, I don't honestly know, Sakura. I just have faith that I will see him again. Plus, I know that Naru-chan isn't so cruel that he won't bring Kyuubi back here to see me often, but it is very hard on me to let him go again and again."

"Why don't you just cross over to the human realm and see him?"

"Sakura, we can't just cross over when we want to. We have to be summoned. Also, it takes a tremendous amount of chakra for our kind to remain in your world. That is why summons have a limited amount of time they can remain in battle. Kyuubi is a special case because he has merged with Naruto and has an anchor to the human realm. I have no such anchor so I would be forced to return here in a matter of hours."

"What if you had an anchor? Could you sustain yourself there?"

"I don't know for sure. Kyuubi was able to merge with Naruto so well because Naruto accepted him completely. The two trust each other implicitly. It would require that strong of a bond for the merger to be successful. Also, there is no guarantee it would even work. Plus, the merger itself would be very painful for the supposed host. They would have to endure the pain as our chakra systems merged into one which could destroy them. I would love to be with Kyuubi all the time, but there is no way I can."

Sakura closed her eyes and contemplated what she was about to do. Her whole life would change. Her friends would see her differently and so would her parents. She may not even be allowed back into Konoha, but one thing she did know for certain…Naruto would still love her.

"Kyoko, I know who you could merge with. You would be able to return to the human realm with Kyuubi and be with him as much as you want."

"Whom are you referring to?"

Sakura smiled at her friend.

"Me."

Violet eyes widened in shock, and the older woman shook her head.

"No, Sakura, I won't ask you to do that. As I said, I'm not even sure if it will work. Your chakra system could be destroyed, and your body could be ripped apart. No, I won't do it."

"Kyoko, listen to me. I want you to do this. First, because I see the hurt and pain you go through by not being with your mate. Second, by doing this, I can know even more about Naruto than I do now; I would truly be his mate this way. Third, I am a citizen of the village that caused you and Kyuubi a great deal of pain. I am taking responsibility for that action and trying to find a way to fix it."

"You're a very noble young woman for saying that, Sakura, but I still can't accept it. Naru-chan would never forgive me if I hurt you because of it; you may even die. I'm sorry. As much as I want to gladly accept your offer, I can't."

"Kyoko, you said that the merger would be based on trust between the two parties. I think you and I trust each other a lot more than the average person does. I know that you are an honorable person just like your mate is; I would accept you as a part of myself with no regrets."

"I think you should listen to her, my beloved," came a voice from behind them.

Both women turned to see Kyuubi standing in the doorway with Naruto beside him. Sakura wondered how much of the conversation the blonde had heard, but he didn't appear to be angry.

"Sakura-chan…" Naruto sighed and walked right up to her. He cupped her face in his hands and looked into her eyes.

"…look at me and tell me what you want. I won't think any less of you one way or another."

"I want Kyoko to have the same happiness that I have all the time; I want her to be with the one she loves more than anything. As I said, our village did Kyuubi an injustice, and I want it to be corrected."

"What about your parents, Sakura-chan? Will you tell them about this?"

"Honestly, I first want to tell them about us. I want my parents to get used to seeing us together; I want them to see how happy you make me. I'll worry about mentioning my partner another time," and she winked at Kyoko.

"A large part of me is screaming not to allow you to try this, Sakura-chan; I don't want to lose you. But…I know that once you make up your mind about something you see it through to the end so I will leave the decision up to you."

"Thank you, Naruto. I honestly want to do this if Kyoko will agree."

Kyuubi stepped forward and took his mate in his arms. She was shaking slightly, and he kissed her forehead while stroking her hair.

"Talk to me, my beautiful vixen, what are you thinking about?"

"Kyuubi, I want to be with you more than anything else; I just don't want to hurt Sakura by doing this. We both could be destroyed by trying this."

"I trust you as much as Naruto trusts Sakura; I know that the two of you can make this work. I won't force you to do this if you really don't want to, but…I think it's time that you are finally happy again. We have ruled our lands with honor these past millennia, but it is time that we pass our duties on to the next generation. It is our time to be happy now. Plus, if Sakura would allow you to, you might even get the joy of knowing what it's like to be a mother in the future."

"Kyoko, you can't have children!" Sakura gasped in horror, and the older woman shook her head.

"No. We discovered something about Kyuubi's clan, or rather, what nature had intended for his clan. Fox children with nine tails are rarely if ever born. Since Kyuubi and I took over there has never been another nine-tail child born. I believe it is our world's way of maintaining balance within itself so there isn't a struggle for power. However, if both Kyuubi and I left, there is a good chance within the next few hundred years, a new nine-tailed fox would be born to one of the other clans. I…I…have always been a bit envious seeing mothers playing with their children or holding them in their arms. I love Kyuubi dearly, but it pains me sometimes that I can never carry his child inside me," and two tears slipped from her violet eyes.

Sakura was trying hard not to cry herself, and Naruto tightened his arms around her. Kyuubi comforted his mate as best he could; he knew what a touchy subject this was for her. She could have picked a different mate while he was gone and had the chance to become a mother, but she remained loyal to him. It made him love her all the more!

"Kyoko, please, it is time for you to let others take our place. The human realm has many adventures waiting for us; you need only say you wish to come along."

"All right! Sakura, I don't how I'll ever be able to thank you for this, but…if you are willing to try this then I will as well."

XXXXXXXXXX

After eating breakfast together, the four of them headed upstairs. Kyoko suggested that she and Sakura do this in private so their mates didn't distract them. The two males reluctantly agreed, and Sakura followed her friend inside the master bedroom. After shutting the door, Kyoko led her to the center of the room so they would have plenty of space.

"Sakura, this might be a little embarrassing, but we'll probably have to do this without clothes on. I don't think they'll mix as well as our chakra will."

Blushing slightly but nodding her head, the pinkette disrobed and tossed her clothes on the nearby bed. Kyoko did the same and moved to stand behind her. Sakura tensed slightly when the older woman wrapped her arms around her midriff and pressed herself into her back.

"All right, Sakura, I want you to start projecting your chakra and when you feel mine mixing with yours don't fight it. Try and imagine that it is yours as well so they can combine as easy as possible. I don't know how painful this might be though."

"It's okay; I understand the risks," the cherry blossom stated and touched her friend's arm.

"Let's begin. Close your eyes."

Sakura did as she was instructed and released her chakra around her body. She felt the warmth of Kyoko's chakra mix with hers. At first, she thought that this would be simple, but then, she felt as if every chakra point in her body was set on fire. She screamed in pain and clenched her fists in determination; she would endure this.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Kit, would you calm down. You're pacing like…like…well, like an animal, and I am one!" Kyuubi growled.

"How long is this supposed to take? They've been in there almost four hours."

"I don't know, but I've going to have to rest now because I've been out too long."

Kyuubi's body turned back into chakra and retreated inside Naruto's body.

"Kyuubi, you may not want to hear this, but I'm going to say it anyway. If Sakura doesn't make it, I won't go back to the human realm because I won't be alive anymore."

'Kit, I know how you feel, and I wouldn't blame you for doing that,' the response came from inside his mind.

Both of them had felt the various changes in the chakra coming from inside the bedroom over the last several hours. They only hoped that the women they loved would come out of there soon.

XXXXXXXXXX

Sakura slowly opened her eyes and rubbed her forehead. She felt like Tsunade had punched her ten times in the head. Her body was finally cooling down, but her joints were a little sore. Looking around, she didn't see Kyoko anywhere.

"What happened?"

'It worked,' came a voice inside her mind.

'Kyoko,' Sakura answered back mentally.

'Yes, it really worked. Sakura, I can't thank you enough for this; I will forever been in your debt.'

'Don't worry about it. I knew this would work. Now, what do you say we go tell the boys.'

Sakura went to retrieve her clothes when she passed by Kyoko's full-length mirror. She caught a glimpse of herself in it and stopped short.

"What the hell happened?"

Her body looked like it always did. However, there were several major differences. Turning slightly to see her back, Sakura saw that her hips were a little wider, and her butt also was a little more pronounced and plump. Her legs were slightly longer and looked even more toned than before. What really made Sakura gawked was that her breasts had grown as well. She was normally a mid to large c-cup, but now her womanly mounds had swelled to full-size d-cup!

'Kyoko, why did this happen? I mean…I look hot!' She heard laughter coming from her resident vixen.

'I don't know, Sakura. My best guess is that when our chakra systems merged they changed your body to be friendlier to my system. That's why your breasts and hips grew. Obviously, they didn't grow to the size of mine, but instead, you body found a midpoint to balance the two of us out.'

'That's sounds ridiculous, but I guess it makes sense. I wonder what Naruto will think.'

'Is that before or after he fucks your brains out,' Kyoko teased.

'Oh, shut-up, I hope my clothes still fit.'

Thankfully, most of her clothes fit with no problem, but Sakura knew that the bra she was wearing would never fit on her new endowments. She had no choice but to go without one since Kyoko's were too big for her to wear. She zipped up her red shirt and went to tell her mate.

Naruto nearly jumped when he heard the bedroom door open, and he sighed in relief when he saw Sakura standing in the doorway.

"It worked, Naruto; everything is fine," and her mate swept her up into his arms and kissed her.

The blonde put her down but didn't release her; something about her felt different. Sliding his hands down, he cupped her ass and found it even more delectable than before.

"Ah, so I see you noticed I'm a little different."

"What do you mean, Sakura-chan?"

The pinkette smiled seductively and pulled him back into the bedroom.

'What did I tell you, Sakura. He's gonna go crazy when he sees you,' Kyoko giggled mentally.

"Naruto, I want to make sure that my body is back to normal, and I need your help. This is for science so it must be a very extensive test."

"Huh?"

Sakura grinned at his dopey expression and stepped out of his arms. Turning her back to him, she slipped out of clothes one piece at a time. She saw Naruto's eyes widen when he saw her delicious backside come into view. She hopped onto the bed and turned over to face him. Spreading her legs, she gave him a perfect view of her pink flower that was already dripping with anticipation of him. Naruto was nearly drooling by now, and Sakura went in for the kill. She unzipped her red shirt exposing her large, ripe breasts.

"Damn…Sakura-chan…what…what happened? I didn't think you could ever be sexier than you were before, but…I…"

"Well then…why don't get rid of those clothes and come help me make sure my body still works right," she teased.

Naruto nearly tore his clothes off and leapt on top of his mate. Sakura licked her lips at seeing his mighty shaft at full mast and waiting for direction. He fused their lips together, and his cherry blossom wrapped her arms around him.

"Sakura-chan…please…I need you," he growled.

Wrapping her fingers around his manhood, Sakura guided him to entrance. One long thrust brought him home as he filled her up to capacity. He was panting in her ear and grabbed her hips.

"Go on, Naruto, we both can love each other later. Fuck me, fox, fuck me hard," she ordered, and he did just that.

Naruto practically drove her into the mattress as he slammed his cock inside her. His mouth latched onto her larger breasts, and they still tasted just as delicious. Damn, he was a lucky man.

Sakura wrapped her legs around him as he thrust deeper and deeper inside her. She chanted his name again and again as he took her to orgasmic heights. She screamed out his name as her body climaxed powerfully, and he groaned in response before exploding inside her.

She thought they would cuddle for a while, but Naruto didn't let her rest. He pulled out of her and flipped her onto her hands and knees. Sakura looked at him over her shoulder to see that his erection was still at full tilt.

"I see your tight, hot pussy is just as wonderful as ever, Sakura-chan, but now, I'm gonna try out this sweet, little ass," and his cock slid inside her rear entrance.

"Naruto!" she called out as he reamed her with powerful strokes.

Again and again, he pounded into her. Sakura's arms gave out, and she collapsed face first onto the mattress, but it did not stop her horny mate. In fact, Naruto cocked her hips up higher and slammed himself even deeper inside her. He listened to her moan into the sheets and smiled in delight; he loved hearing Sakura cry out in bed. It was music to his ears.

Not cutting her any slack, Naruto pulled her body up against his chest. He filled his hands with her beautiful breasts and growled into her neck.

"You gonna cum for me, Sakura-chan? Go ahead, my horny vixen, let me feel you cum for me," he ordered, and she was helpless to resist.

"OH NARUTO!" she screamed as her body convulsed in a huge orgasm.

"SAKURA-CHAN!" Naruto answered as he erupted inside her clenching ass.

The two lovers collapsed on their sides and snuggled close to each other. The blonde shinobi caressed her body lovingly, and Sakura purred in contentment.

"So Sakura-chan, would you say that test was satisfactory?" he chuckled.

Her smile as bright as ever, the pinkette turned and kissed her beloved baka.

"Hmm, the best exam I've ever had."

XXXXXXXXXX

After an hour or so of lying in each other's arms, the two ninja reluctantly got up and redressed. Kyoko instructed Sakura about how to send a letter to their village council. She wrote out her abdication, and who she wanted to replace Kyuubi and her. She knew this would cause quite a stir, but they would be gone before the raucous started. Once the letter had been sent, Naruto and Sakura were ready to return to their own world.

"It feels a little odd leaving here; I kinda got attached to it," Sakura chuckled.

"I knowing the feeling, Sakura-chan, but I think it's time we go home. I can't guarantee that the village council will let me return to Konoha though."

Sakura took his hand and squeezed it gently.

"Naruto, listen to me, no matter where you go or where you live, I will always be at your side. Danzo and the rest of the council can kiss my ass for all I care," she grumbled, and Naruto laughed.

"Thank you, Sakura-chan, but don't say that," he corrected.

"And why not?" she demanded, and he grinned at her.

"Cause I'm only one allow to touch your ass, that's why!" and Sakura giggled happily.

"Naruto, you're totally hopeless."

"Hopelessly in love, you mean," and he kissed her softly.

"Come on, baka, let's head back to Suna; I'm sure Temari is wondering what happened to us by now."

"I doubt it. Gaara knows when I'm gone for a long time I'm usually here so I'm sure he made excuses for us. But still, let's go home," and he took her other hand in his.

The couple smiled at each other, and with a blast of red chakra, they headed back to their world.

XXXXXXXXXX

Author's Notes: Well, that concludes the final chapter in the fox village, but don't worry, this story is not done yet. We'll what happens when our favorite couple returns to Konoha. Plus, I'm going to do my best to mix in some action as well to give the story more of a kick since it has kind of dragged a little bit. Hope you have enjoyed it so far. See ya next time.


	7. New image and New Name

When the two shinobi arrived back in Suna, the first thing they did was go see Gaara to see if anything had happened while they were gone. The Kazekage explained that it had still be rather quiet, but he did mention that a contingent of Sand-nin and himself was preparing to leave for Konoha to participate in the Chuunin exams in a few days time. Naruto grinned as he realized that he had made it back in time since he wanted to take part in the exams this year, and Sakura realized that he could easily enter Konoha under the registration of a sand-nin.

XXXXXXXXXX

After confirming that they would be leaving tomorrow morning, Sakura took Naruto to main marketplace. She headed straight for a clothing store.

"Sakura-chan, where are we going?"

"To get you some new clothes, baka," she replied while dragging him along.

"But I already have clothes."

The pinkette turned her head and glared at her mate making Naruto cringe slightly.

"Naruto, I love you dearly, but so help me, I am going to get you to wear something other than orange for a change!" she practically hissed.

XXXXXXXXXX

An hour later, Naruto felt like he'd tried on everything in the store. He felt like a dressup doll for Sakura and the girl who was running the place. He would try something on, and the two would critique him endlessly until Sakura would give her final yes or no.

He did admit that he liked the way he looked in several of the outfits. Most of them were black or navy blue combinations of shirts and pants. One set that Sakura practically started drooling when she saw him in it was a pair of black pants along with a matching black mesh shirt that showed off his developed arms and torso. Sakura had licked her lips when she saw him it, and her eyes told him she wanted to take him home and tear it off of him.

'Sakura, I know he's your mate, but I just have to say he looks yummy,' Kyoko said mentally.

'Don't I know it!' she replied silently.

After picking out five or six new outfits, Naruto redressed but something caught his eye. It was hanging against the far wall, and he headed over to look at it. It was a long white sleeveless jacket that looked like it would hang down to about his shins. Turning it around, he was surprised to see a beautiful embroidered fox on the back. It looked almost like Kyuubi except that it only had one tail. Naruto was quite taken with it and pulled it off the rack to try it on; he was pleased to see it fit almost perfectly.

"Excuse me, miss, I would like to ask you about this," he called out, and the young woman sauntered over.

"What can I do for you, sweetie?" she asked with a flirty smile.

"I really like this, but I was wondering if I could have a change made to the pattern on the back."

"Ah, you have a good eye; I made this one myself," she said happily.

"You sewed this whole thing!" Naruto gasped and took off the coat.

"Yup. My mother taught me how to sew. This was originally her store; she was one of the best seamstresses in all of Fire Country, and she passed on her legacy to me after she died."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring up any sad memories."

"Oh, don't worry about it, hun. I loved my mother, and I'm glad to be able to carry on her work. So, what can I do about the coat?"

"Well…I was wondering if you can make the fox have nine tails instead of one."

"Is that all? That's easy! Give it to me," and Naruto handed her the garment.

"Um, I'm actually leaving for Konoha tomorrow morning so I can give you the address where I'll be staying, and you can send it to me. I'll pay the transport fee for you as well."

"Tomorrow morning! What do I look like…some amateur? Give me twenty minutes," she said with a wide grin.

"That's impossible!" Naruto gasped.

"No, it's not. Now, watch and learn, cutie."

The young woman carefully laid out the coat on her counter and reach underneath for her sewing materials. Bringing out the necessary needles and thread, her eyes focused, and Naruto's eyes widened when he felt a small surge of chakra from her. Her hands began to move at blinding speed, and the new pattern began to take shape. Naruto's eyes were as wide as plates as he watched the young woman work; she had two tails added within a few minutes.

"Why don't you go find your girlfriend, hun? I think she wanted you to help her pick out some clothes as well – like lingerie," the young woman said and leered at Naruto.

The blonde shinobi blushed heavily making the seamstress giggle, and he quickly took his leave to let her finish her work.

XXXXXXXXXX

Sakura had indeed been looking for some new clothes; she figured since Naruto was buying some she may as well look around as well. Plus, she'd have to buy new lingerie to fit her newly enhanced bust. She was very impressed with the quality of the clothing and picked out several outfits to try on. Stopping by the section for women's underwear, she picked out several pairs to try on. Some were for practical purposes for while she was on missions and chosen for comfort and ease of movement while others were sexy, skimpy sets designed to make a certain blonde baka jump her bones when he saw her in them. Gathering what she wanted, she stepped into one of the changing rooms.

"Sakura-chan!" a voice called out.

"In here," she replied, "I'm trying on some new clothes."

"What was that? You gotta see this!" he said excitedly and opened the door to her dressing room.

"Naruto!" she gasped. All she had on were her panties, and he blushed like a tomato.

"Oh gosh, sorry!" he stated and quickly stepped inside and shut the door.

"Hey, get out of here," she ordered.

"Why? I've seen you naked before," he replied cheekily, and she blushed.

"That's not point, baka; I'm trying to change right now."

Naruto walked up to her and took her in his arms. Sakura tried to look angry, but she allowed him to hold her. He bent down and nuzzled her neck.

"But I love seeing you like this, Sakura-chan," he purred and cupped her full breasts.

"Naruto," she groaned as her nipples hardened under his caressess, "we just did this a few hours ago!"

"Yes, we did, and your point being," he teased while wrapping his lips around her right breast.

"Oh gosh…we…we can't do this here! We'll get caught," she groaned as her body responded instinctively to him.

"That nice young lady is making some modifications to a jacket I want to buy so she'll be busy for a little while; we have time. Just make sure you don't scream too loudly," he chuckled and fused their lips together.

His hand glided down her beautiful body, and he was happy to find her underwear being held up by two ties on her hips. A firm tug and off they came. One of his hands returned to her breasts while the other saw to the heated center between her legs.

"Hmm…you're so wet already, Sakura-chan, but this time, I'm going to make love to you."

Quickly unzipping his pants, Naruto pulled out his large erection. Lifting his cherry blossom off the ground, he pressed her against one of the side walls. She wrapped her legs around him, and he reached down to guide his shaft inside her only to find Sakura's hands already there.

"Mmph, can't get enough of me, can you?" she teased and stroked the length of his thick cock.

"You know I can't," he growled back and sank into her tight heat.

These lips met hungrily, but Naruto kept their pace slow and steady. He wanted to make love this time even though they were inside a store's changing room. Sakura loved it when he was like this. Oh, she loved it when they fucked each other six ways from Sunday, but their lovemaking was always special. Naruto reluctantly released her delectable mouth and locked his eyes with hers. His forehead pressed against hers as he panted softly but did not break their eye contact.

"Sakura-chan…my beautiful cherry blossom…" he sighed happily.

"Naruto…my handsome fool…" she replied with a warm smile.

The lovers rocked together in perfect harmony while staring into each other's eyes. It didn't matter if it lasted five minutes or five hours; it was the two of them locked together, loving each other with all their hearts.

Naruto felt her wonderful tightness pulse around him violently, and a gush of her honey flood over his cock. He kissed her to smother her cries of pleasure and his own groans as he erupted inside her again.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Are you gonna let me down?" Sakura asked some time later.

"I don't know. I like you just where you are," Naruto replied and kissed her neck.

"Come on, baka, playtime's over. We need to get out of here before we get arrested for indecent exposure," she said firmly.

Naruto pouted and reluctantly pulled out of her warmth. He set her back down on the ground and helped steady her legs. Tucking himself back into his pants, he gave Sakura one last heated kiss.

"That was wonderful, Naruto. Now, get out of here!"

"Just a minute, one more thing."

"What?"

Naruto turned her towards the full length mirror against the far wall so her back was against his chest. He quickly took off his jacket and wrapped it around her body so she wouldn't get cold.

"Naruto, what are doing?" she asked confused. His eyes were gentle, and he slid arms around her from behind and kissed her neck.

"Look," he stated and nodded towards the mirror.

Sakura faced forward and gazed at their reflection. She had to admit; they made quite the pair. Naruto's jacket hung down well past her waist, and his arms were wrapped snugly around her midsection. Her back was resting against his chest, and her head was just under his chin. Their faces were flushed from their passion, and they almost glowed with happiness.

"Do you see how beautiful you are right now, Sakura-chan? Your skin is all rosy, and your eyes are so alive. I feel like the luckiest man in the world to be able to see you like this," he said with heartfelt sincerity in his voice.

"Naruto…" she sighed in embarrassment. Sometimes, his love for her seemed a little overwhelming, and she didn't feel worthy of it.

But…seeing their reflection like this and seeing how his eyes shown at her, she felt like a goddess. He loved her unconditionally and worshipped her with all his heart.

"I'm the lucky one, Naruto. I have your love, and that is most precious gift I have ever been given," she said with a golden smile.

"You will always have it," he said softly and kissed her hair.

XXXXXXXXXX

After a few minutes, Naruto reluctantly let her go and gave her warm smile, and checking to make sure the coast was clear, he slipped out of the dressing room closing the door behind him. Sakura shook her head while she laughed silently; Naruto was just too much sometimes.

'Well…well…well…a changing room in a store! Sakura, I didn't know you were such an exhibitionist,' Kyoko laughed.

'Oh, shut-up, like you and Kyuubi wouldn't have done the same,' she snapped right back.

'Indeed, we would have. In fact, we've pulled this stunt several times,' the vixen said with a mental smirk.

'Alright, enough with the places you boned your mate, help me pick something out here will you?' Sakura asked her mental guest.

XXXXXXXXXX

Ten minutes later, she exited the dressing room with her selections and found Naruto talking to young woman who was working on his coat.

"This looks great," he said excitedly as Sakura set her purchases next to his by the checkout.

"I can't believe you did this so fast."

"It really wasn't that hard," the young woman said with a confident smile.

Naruto's eyes ran over the exquisite embroidery. The fox on the back of the coat now had nine tails, and it was even a reddish-orange thread so it looked exactly like Kyuubi.

'Not a bad likeness, kit; she's very talented.'

"Hey, let me see," Sakura called out, and he handed her the coat.

"Wow, this is beautiful work. Did Naruto just need to have it hemmed or something?"

"Nope, he just asked me to make it so the fox had nine tails instead of one," the young clerk said nonchalantly.

"Wait a minute, you sewed eight more tails into this pattern in about twenty minutes! How is that possible, miss?"

"My name's Ayumi. It's a technique that my mother taught me. My family always had a unique ability when it came to chakra control, but it only applied to our hands and eyes. We weren't very strong physically so we weren't cut out to be shinobi. So instead, we turned towards using our abilities in other ways. My mother found that she could augment her sewing skills with chakra, and it allowed her to make clothing very quickly and easily. Many people were astounded by her work; she actually made quite a bit of clothing for the former Kazekages from time to time. I normally don't use this talent unless I have someone I like ask me to help them, or if they're someone really cute?" and she winked at Naruto making him blush.

Sakura giggled at her lover's red cheeks and set his coat down with their other purchases.

"You're very talented, Ayumi; I've never seen such workmanship before," the pinkette said firmly. The young woman bowed her head in thanks and smiled at the couple.

"So, did you two find everything you needed?"

"Yes, I can finally get this baka out of these orange jumpsuits," Sakura said with a grin.

"Hey, they're not that bad," Naruto groaned.

"Sorry honey, your girl is right about that. You look decent like that, but trust me, you'll make women drool with this new wardrobe."

"I…I…I don't really need to do that," the blonde said with flushed cheeks.

"He really is a cutie, isn't he?" Ayumi giggled and winked at Sakura, "He's so innocent and honest; you better hang onto him."

"I intend to, Ayumi, believe me."

After paying for their new clothes, Naruto picked up their bags when a final idea came to Sakura.

"Ayumi, have you ever been to Konoha?"

"No, why?"

"Well, the two of us are from there originally. In the future, I'd like to hire you to make something for us if you have the time. We'd gladly pay to have you travel to Konoha unless you'd rather have us come here instead," Sakura explained.

"I guess, I really wouldn't mind going there, but what did want me to make?"

Sakura turned to look at Naruto and smiled warmly. Her cheeks flushed as she faced Ayumi again.

"Our wedding kimonos," she replied. Ayumi nearly squealed in happiness, and Naruto dropped their bags in shock.

"Oh, you lucky girl, of course I'll make them for you!"

"Thank you, Ayumi. As I said, it won't be immediately, but I will contact you when we want them done."

"Here…" and the young woman quickly scribbled down her contact information, "…just send a letter through the regular communications network, and they'll deliver it to me."

"Thank you, Ayumi, I really appreciate it," Sakura said happily.

Naruto had recovered from his shock by now and retrieved their bags; he smiled as he saw his beloved's face light up while talking about their wedding. They hadn't even talked about it yet, but just the idea was enough to make his cherry blossom happy.

"You two take care now, okay," she called as the couple exited her store.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Planning ahead, Sakura-chan?" Naruto whispered as they headed back for his apartment.

He'd shifted their bags to his right side so he could wrap his left arm around her. Sakura leaned her head on his shoulder and hugged him slightly.

"Naruto, would you mind if I ask you something? There is something I think we should do before we go back to Konoha."

"What is it?"

Sakura whispered in his ear, and Naruto nearly jumped out of his sandels.

"You…you want to do that now! I thought you want to wait so we could do it properly."

"I do, Naruto, but I think it would be best if we took care of the legal part before we went home. I don't know what will be waiting for us, but I don't want anything to separate us. Call me paranoid, but nothing ever seems to work out easily for us. If you don't want to do this, I understand. I just-"

Sakura was cut off as Naruto swept her up into his arms and kissed her passionately.

"Sakura-chan, I would want nothing more than for this to happen between you and I. If you want this, we will do it. I see your point, and I agree with you. The only thing is…did you bring your seal?"

"You baka, of course, I did. You know that adult shinobi carry their seals on them; it's how their missions are marked for completion. Do you have yours?"

"In my back pouch," he said cheekily. Sakura smiled at him.

"Come on, let's go get this done," and she pulled him towards the administration district.

XXXXXXXXXX

An hour later, a clerk handed them the final document. Naruto handed it to Sakura first, and she looked at it carefully.

"Sakura-chan, we can wait."

She looked at her beloved idiot, and the honesty in his eyes made all her doubts fade away. She affixed her seal to the document and passed it to Naruto. Looking into her green eyes, he thought about how all his dreams were about to come true. He placed his seal on the document and handed it back to the clerk. It took a few seconds for him to notarize it (or whatever they do with it) to make it legal and handed Naruto a copy. The young man looked at it and almost couldn't believe it.

"Come on, Naruto, let's go home," and he let his cherry blossom lead him back to his apartment.

XXXXXXXXXX

The following morning, Gaara and the other sand-nin were at the main gates of Suna preparing to leave. Temari and Kankuro were by his side as always, and there were ten other genin who were accompanying them for the exams.

"Hey, where's blondie?" Temari said as she looked around for Naruto.

"Right here, Temari-chan," came a shout, and two shinobi leapt down from the rooftops.

"Holy….shit…!" she gasped.

Naruto was dressed very differently today. He had on solid black pants with his weapon's pouch attached to his right leg. His torso was covered by a matching black shirt that had a 'v' down the center to show part of his chest. The long white coat he had modified completed the outfit. All in all, he looked very appealing to the female eye. Sakura stood at his side, and her attire was different as well. She had on her traditional black shorts, but her torso was now covered by a tight, black sleevless gi. There were small cherry blossom designs sewn into the gi as well, and Temari could see she was also wearing a mesh undershirt as well. The two of them made quite the impressive pair.

Several of the male sand-nin whistled at Sakura in appreciation, and Naruto shot them a look of pure death making them shut up immediately.

"Damn Uzumaki, she finally got you out of that orange jumpsuit. It's about damn time!" Temari laughed.

"Thank you for your kind words," he replied sarcastically.

"Actually Temari, you should call him by his true name – actually, our name," Sakura said with a smile.

"What do you mean?" the blonde sand-nin asked. She failed to see Gaara's lips turn up slightly as he saw what was coming.

Sakura looked at the man next to her and nodded her head. Naruto smiled back at her and looked his friends in the eye.

"Our names are Naruto and Sakura Namikaze!"

XXXXXXXXXX

Author's Notes: So, next chapter we head back to Konoha. It's been a while since I've written any action scenes, but there will definitely be some soon. We'll see everyone's reactions to what our couple has done, and I have one or two more surprises as well. Well, see you guys next time.


	8. Return to Konoha

It was two days later that Gaara and his entourage arrived at Konoha's main gates. The two shinobi at the gate immediately recognized him and bowed in respect to the Kazekage. He gave them a slight nod and continued down the main street. Temari and Kankuro were on each of his sides, while Naruto and Sakura were behind them along with the other sand-nin.

Naruto felt people's eyes on him as he walked down the road he'd been on thousand of times. People were looking at him with everything from shock to confusion to curiousness over who he was.

"Sakura-chan, why is everyone staring at me?" he asked softly. She grinned at him.

"If I had to guess, I have a feeling that some of them can't figure out who you are; you're not wearing your normal orange clothes. Plus, you look a lot like your father in that outfit so they must think the Fourth has been magically resurrected."

"It sounds strange, but I guess it makes sense."

"Naruto, why don't you gone ahead with Gaara to see Tsunade. I want to grab some things from my apartment and also talk to my parents – about us."

Her lover immediately became concerned when she mentioned that last part.

"Should I come with you?"

"No, let me explain it to them first, okay. I know you want to be there with me, Naruto, and I love you for it, but let me talk to them first. I want to see if they are going to be accepting of you or not, and I'll get a better answer if you're not there to make them lie about their thoughts."

"All right. Just promise me that you'll contact me if you need me. If your parents are upset about me, I want to be there with you."

Sakura smiled and nodded her head. She kissed his cheek and leapt up onto Konoha's rooftops heading towards her parents' home. Naruto didn't know why, but he felt a little uneasy at that moment.

XXXXXXXXXX

Sakura arrived at her parents' place a short time later. Opening the front door, she heard voices coming from the living room area and headed inside.

"Mom…Dad…I'm back," she called.

"Sakura! You're home," said her mother happily as her daughter entered the living room.

"How have you…been?" Sakura's voice died out as she saw who was sitting on the couch talking to her parents.

"Sakura…good to see you again; I've missed you," came a voice that she absolutely did not want to hear right now.

"Hello…Sasuke…what brings you here today?" she asked trying to remain civil.

"Sakura…why didn't tell us you two were engaged?" her father asked with a wide smile.

"ENGAGED?" his daughter practically shrieked, and she saw the smirk form on Sasuke's mouth.

"Of course, I did mention to you before you left about us getting married; I thought it would be best if I spoke to your parents about it as well."

Sakura closed her eyes as she tried to calm herself down, and she felt the gentle caress of Kyoko on her mind to aid her from strangling the Uchiha.

'So that's your ex-boyfriend, huh? I admit that he's good looking, but his eyes look like they're hiding something – kinda like a snake waiting to strike. Be careful, Sakura, don't let him get to you,' she said mentally.

'Thanks, Kyoko, it's taking everything I've got to not throw him out of here,' the pinkette answered back.

"Mom…Dad…I am going to say this simply so there are no misinterpretations. I am not nor will I ever be engaged to Sasuke Uchiha. I ended our relationship before I went on my mission to Suna. I don't know what he has told you, but I do not want to be involved with him anymore."

"Now Sakura, we just had a misunderstanding; that's all," Sasuke drawled calmly. He was deliberately baiting her, waiting for her temper to snap.

"Sasuke, we did not have a misunderstanding; I told you that I could not be with you anymore; I also told you why. Nothing has changed since then!" she said firmly.

"Oh yes, I remember, you told me that you had feelings for that orange-wearing, ramen-eating, blonde idiot who always irritates the hell out of you," Sasuke said with contempt in his voice.

Sakura's parents immediately knew who he was talking about, and her mother looked at her in shock.

"Sakura, he's not talking about Naruto, is he? I know he has been very kind to you, and he is a very good friend, but I doubt he would make a very good husband."

"Oh really, mother, and why do you say that?" her daughter asked with a glare.

"I'm not trying to insult him, dear; I am just stating the obvious. He has no lineage to speak of, he has hardly any manners, and he is always shouting about something. I will admit he has become quite a good shinobi, but I don't want to see your own reputation thrown in the gutter by making a mistake," her mother finished.

Sakura couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her fists were clenched, and her eyes were hard.

"What about you, father? How do you feel about, Naruto?"

"Honestly, Sakura, I have nothing against the boy personally-"

"-except that he's the container of the Kyuubi no Kitsune, right?" his daughter cut in.

Both of her parents' eyes widened in shock at her words, and Sasuke's mouth twitched slightly.

"That's what this is about, isn't it? You don't like Naruto because the Kyuubi is inside him. Yes, I know that the nine-tailed fox was sealed inside him all those years ago. But…I don't care. Naruto is who he is – plain and simple. I love him because he has always been there for me, comforts me when I need him to, respects my abilities as a kunoichi, and most importantly, gives me the freedom to choose what I want…unlike someone else I know," and she glared at Sasuke.

"Sakura, I know Naruto is a good friend to you, but if he ever lost control of that demon inside him, he could easily kill you and all of us in the village. I can't allow my daughter to be involved with someone like that," her mother said firmly.

'Okay, now I'm getting pissed off,' Kyoko hissed.

'Sorry about that. Unfortunately, that's how most villagers view Kyuubi and Naruto.'

"Naruto will never loose control of the Kyuubi, mother," Sakura said with determination.

"Oh really, than what about that small scar on your left shoulder," Sasuke stated.

"Didn't you get that when the Kyuubi took over Naruto? He hurt you didn't he? Aren't you the person that he cares about the most?" the Uchiha said with a sinister smile.

"Is this true, Sakura?" her father demanded. His daughter did not get angry; she actually smirked.

"Tell me something, Sasuke, how do you know about that? You weren't even there! I know, did your buddies Kabuto and Orochimaru tell you about it? Did that snake bastard also tell you that he had his ass handed to him when Naruto transformed? That's the thing I believe none of you are mentioning. Mother…father…who would you rather have close you? Someone who has risked his life again and again to bring back his supposed best friend even though that best friend tried to kill him, or someone who walked away from everyone he cared about, including me, just so he could gain power to kill his own brother. Then, when that person comes back, the best friend who he tried to kill still defends him and sacrifices his future and his home to let him stay in Konoha. Tell me!" Sakura nearly growled.

Her parents were surprised at the forcefulness of her words.

"You didn't tell them that did you, Sasuke? Tsunade-sama was going to have you imprisoned because of your betrayal of this village, but Naruto talked her out of it. Plus, the council was not going to let a traitor back into their shinobi ranks very easily. But…Naruto being Naruto…he offered himself as the scapegoat so the council would allow you to stay. He was discarded, and you were welcomed back with open arms. Tell me, Sasuke, did you even care that Naruto was banished?"

"Is this true, young man?" Sakura's father asked firmly.

"I have no control over what that dobe does. The council would never have banished me anyway; they think that my family's Sharingan is far too valuable to lose," Sasuke said with a confident smirk.

"Sakura, you never answered the question from before. Did Naruto hurt you?" her mother asked.

Her daughter took a deep breath and prepared her response. She looked her mother right in the eye and spoke the truth.

"No mother, he did not!" the cherry blossom stated, making three people gasp.

"Then where did that scar come from Sakura," Sasuke countered trying to take the attention away from himself.

"Yes, I was injured during the battle between Naruto and Orochimaru but not deliberately. When Naruto was transformed he could have slashed at me with his claws or tried to rip my throat out. He did none of those things. All he did was push me away with one of the chakra tails he had. The only reason I was injured was because the Kyuubi's chakra was toxic to my body and caused my shoulder to start bleeding. I have never blamed Naruto for that; I have told him that personally. Naruto and I protect each other – in more ways that one. In fact, even if Naruto ever transformed again, Kyuubi's chakra will not harm me," she said with a smile.

"How can you be so sure of that?" her mother asked in astonishment.

Sakura's smile widened; she couldn't wait to see what her next statement would cause. She looked right into Sasuke's dark eyes.

"Because…I'm Naruto's mate!"

"What did you say?" the young Uchiha shouted and jumped to his feet.

"Naruto is my mate, Sasuke. In terms you can understand, he is my husband."

"You got married!" her father gasped in horror, but his daughter shook her head.

"No father, we did not have the ceremony yet, however, Naruto and I know that we belong to each other…mentally, emotionally, and physically," Sakura replied and bored the words into Sasuke's face.

"You fucked him!" Sasuke hissed through clenched teeth.

"Watch how you talk about my daughter, boy," Mr. Haruno growled, and Sakura smirked.

"Sakura, you slept with him," her mother said worriedly.

"Yes mother, I have. Now, before you ask, yes, I took precautions with regards to pregnancy; I am a kunoichi just as you once were. I gave myself to him with no regrets. I am not going to apologize for loving him. Naruto has gone through hell in his life because of something that happened to him when he was just a baby. The people in this village have treated him like garbage for eighteen years; it's a miracle he's even sane anymore. Despite all the pain that Konoha has caused him, he still wants to protect us. All he wants is to live here in peace like everyone else and have someone love him for who he is. I was lucky enough that he picked me to be the one to love him. He makes me happier than I ever thought possible, and I know that he will continue to do that for the rest of our lives together."

'Well said, Sakura,' Kyoko said firmly.

"Now that I've explained everything, I think it's time I shed some light on why Sasuke is truly here. He isn't here to marry me because he loves me or wants me. He just can't stand the fact that Naruto might be better at something than him."

"Watch what you say," Sasuke growled menacingly, "That dobe could never defeat me at anything!"

"You just proved my point. You think of me like a trophy that you're competing against Naruto for. I'm not something you can stick on your mantle, Sasuke! I decide who and what I want, and that is something you could never understand about me. Now matter how he felt about me, Naruto always gave me a choice. He tried so hard to make me happy by trying to bring you back. If it made me happy, that baka would gladly break his own heart a thousand times over just to see me smile. That's the biggest reason I love him, Sasuke. He treats me better than I ever thought anyone could, and I will not give him up for anything. If you can't understand that, Sasuke, then I'm sorry, but I can't say it any simpler than that."

The Harunos were listening to their daughter talk and seeing the smile on her face while talking about Naruto made them question how they thought about the young man. They had never seen their daughter's eyes so alive before; she was practically glowing as she described how he made her feel.

"Sasuke…" Mr. Haruno began, "…I'm sorry, but I can't allow you to marry my daughter. She has made her own choice and defended that choice with both logic and emotion. I cannot deny how she looks, or the words she speaks. If this is what she truly wants, I will not stand in her way."

"You can't be serious," the young Uchiha said in shock.

"I think it's time that you left," Sakura said with a triumphant smile.

Sasuke glared at the three Harunos as he headed for the front door, but he wouldn't leave without the last word.

"I hope you enjoyed being that demon's slut, Sakura!" he hissed angrily and opened the door.

Not more than a second later, he was whipped around and stared right into the very angry eyes of Sakura's father.

"Never call my daughter that again, boy, or I will personally rip out those precious eyes of yours," he growled dangerously.

"Dad…" Sakura stated as he came up to his side, "…allow me."

After her father let go of the young man, Sakura stared at her former crush with an impassive expression.

"What are you gonna do – punch me in the ribs again?" Sasuke prodded.

"Not at all," she sighed and rammed her foot directly into his groin.

Sasuke doubled over in pain, and even Sakura's dad winced at his daughter's actions. The pinkette, showing the strength that Tsunade helped her attain, picked up the Uchiha off the ground by the scruff of his shirt. She leaned close to his ear and decided to add one final touch.

"Don't ever come near again, Sasuke, or I won't be held responsible for what Naruto does to you. He doesn't take insults to me lightly so leave us alone. But…just so you know…I enjoy everything he does to me…again and again and again," she said just loud enough for him to hear.

"Naruto will never lose to you, Sasuke, and judging from the size of what I just kicked, he's easily twice the man you are, and I thoroughly enjoy it," she finished sadistically and proceeded to throw him out into the street before slamming the door shut.

XXXXXXXXXX

Sakura rejoined her parents in the living room, and her mother looked at her seriously.

"I'm sorry, my daughter. I did not know that boy was like that."

"It's all right, mom. It took me a long time to see through the mystique that Sasuke uses to hide his real persona. I'm glad that Naruto was patient enough while I got my head on straight. Mom, I know that you're worried, but please, just let me show you how wonderful he is. Most people never see Naruto the way he truly is. It is partly because he is very private about his true feelings, but also, it is to protect himself from getting hurt. Will you let me bring him here – not as a friend but as my husband?"

The two parents looked at each other and then at their daughter.

"Sakura, I can't say that we can support you in this…yet, but we will not try and stop you either. I am proud that have learned to make your own decisions and speak your mind. If you are truly serious about your feelings, then bring Naruto here – as the man that you love," her mother said with a smile, and her daughter smothered her in a big hug.

"Thank you, mom," the pinkette said with tears in her eyes.

XXXXXXXXXX

Ino Yamanaka covered a yawn with her hand as she entered her kitchen wearing a short bathrobe. She stretched her arms above her head and sighed happily. Nothing felt better in the morning than a wake-up fuck from her beloved. She'd woken up to Chouji eating her pussy like a starving man at a buffet table, and he didn't stop until she came four times. After wiping his face clean, Ino had flipped him over and yanked down his pants. She quickly mounted his wonderful shaft and rode him hard until they each came three times. She'd left him in bed taking a short nap while she prepared breakfast for the two of them.

Hearing her front door unlock, the blonde turned to see her roommate and best friend stroll into their kitchen practically glowing with happiness.

"Hey Ino, good morning," Sakura said with a big smile.

"Damn forehead, what the hell happened to you? Those clothes look great on you, and…wait a minute, since when have you had cleavage like that?"

"It's a long story, Ino, and I'll gladly tell it to you later. I just came by to get some things before I meet Naruto at the Hokage tower."

"Ah, so he came back to the village for the Chuunin exams. That's a clever idea to cover his entry into Konoha. From the way you look, I take it you told him," she said with a wide grin.

"You were right, Ino; there is a difference between being content and happy. Naruto makes me happier than I ever thought possible. I love the way he makes me feel…the way he touches me is so wonderful," Sakura said with a dreamy smile.

"Don't try to hide it, forehead. You and I have the same smile on our faces. It's the 'I-had-mind-blowing-sex-last-night' smile."

"Indeed – last night and this morning," Sakura added with a grin.

"Like I said, we have matching smiles; I just left my plump loverboy a little while ago; he's exhausted from our wake-up call earlier."

"I can see that, Ino-pig; there's a little something running down your thighs," she laughed.

Ino blushed and clamped her legs together. She wasn't wearing anything under her robe since she had been planning to have breakfast in bed this morning.

"So tell me, how is our resident blockhead between the sheets?" Ino said with a sly grin.

"Well…that depends…" Sakura began.

"…are we talking about in the bedroom…or the shower…or the floor…or the changing room of a clothing store," she continued with a laugh.

"Hot damn! You horny slut, he must be really good if you're that adventurous with him."

"He is wonderful with me, Ino. Just as Chouji is with you, Naruto can be slow and thorough or fast and mind-blowing. Which reminds me…Naruto's most dangerous weapon isn't his kunai or chakra techniques; it's the one he keeps in his pants."

"I wonder how he stacks up to Chouji; he actually let me measure him once. He was nearly ten inches long and a couple inches thick; he's the perfect size to drive me crazy," Ino teased.

"Well, I haven't actually measured Naruto; I don't think he's that conceited. I think he judges himself on how many times I scream his name. But…if I had to estimate…sorry Ino, but I think he's nearly twelve inches plus I can barely wrap my hand around the base of his shaft. I'm not sure how or why, but my body seems more than able to handle him. No matter where he wants to take me, I'm more than ready for him. He loves when I ride him, and I love when he is on top of me smiling down at me with love in his eyes. He also likes it when I bend over and shake my ass at him to come fuck me."

"Chouji loves the same thing too. We are lucky women, aren't we?"

"Yes, we are," and the two of them burst out laughing.

"So tell me, forehead, did you tell your parents about the two of you yet?"

"Actually, I just came from there. I was going to tell them before anything else, but when I got there, Sasuke was there talking to them. Can you believe that he had asked for permission to marry me? I told him that we were finished before I left, and he has the arrogance to blow off what I told him."

"So what happened?"

"After my parents found out I was involved with Naruto, Sasuke tried to twist them into thinking that he would hurt me because of Kyuubi, but I assured them that the baka would sooner die than harm me intentionally. I eventually got them to go along with the idea of Naruto and I being together which is when Sasuke really go angry. My father asked him to leave, but he called me a slut on the way out the door."

"That bastard! Tell me you kicked his ass for that!" Ino growled.

"Actually, my father looked ready to kill Sasuke after hearing that, but I convinced him to let me handle it."

"What did you do?"

"In a nutshell…I kicked him the groin, picked him up off the floor, told him he could never compare to Naruto, and threw him out the door."

"Oh, you go girl! I wish I could've seen his face," Ino laughed.

"I better get going before Naruto starts to worry. Poor guy, I think he goes through withdrawal when I'm not around him," Sakura giggled.

"Like you wouldn't go through Naruto-withdrawal if you didn't see him for a long time," her friend shot back.

"That's true, but you're the same with Chouji aren't you. Neither one of us can do without the men that love us-"

"-or the wonderful sex that they give us," Ino cut in.

Sakura started laughing, and Ino quickly joined in as the two laughed until their sides hurt.

"I better let you finish breakfast before Chouji gets antsy," Sakura teased and turned to leave.

"Nah, he'll be fine. Chouji likes to eat his breakfast in a very specific way."

"What's that?"

Ino smirked at her best friend.

"He eats it off of me," she answered, and Sakura laughed all the back to her room.

XXXXXXXXXX

Author's Notes: Well, our beloved couple has returned. Now that Sakura has told her parents, it's now Naruto's turn to explain to Tsunace exactly what's happened to them. Also, for those of you who think I might forget about Sasuke's part in this, don't worry. I'm not writing him off the plot yet; there is much more to come. Hope you have enjoyed it so far.


	9. Explanation and Invitation

A short time later, Sakura met Naruto and Gaara at the top of the Hokage tower. Shizune had given Temari instructions on where their Chuunin candidates were staying so she and Kankuro had taken them to find their quarters.

"Enter!" a voice nearly growled after Sakura had knocked on the door.

"Sounds like Baa-chan's had a bad day," Naruto chuckled. His mate rolled her eyes and entered her master's office with the two men trailing behind her.

XXXXXXXXXX

Tsunade hated paperwork work to death. She'd been working her way through a pile of reports for the last seven hours, and what's worse, she'd run out of sake halfway through. She was annoyed, pissed, and frustratingly sober. She almost hoped it was an enemy at her door so she could kick someone's ass! Instead, she was treated with seeing her apprentice, the Kazekage, and lastly (her jaw dropped at how he looked) was Naruto.

"Shishou, I would like to present the Kazekage and his second in command. The other sand-nin went to their quarters since the exams don't begin till tomorrow."

Tsunade's mood immediately lightened as she saw the bright smile on her apprentice's face. She also noted a sparkle in Naruto's eyes that she had never seen before.

'So Sakura, looks like you got your man,' she chuckled inwardly.

Rising out of her seat, she turned her eyes to the Kazekage and bowed slightly.

"Welcome to Konoha, it is good to see you again, Gaara."

"It is always a privilege to meet one of the Sannin, Lady Hokage," he replied and bowed slightly in return.

"I see you have a very capable second in command," she said with a grin and winked at Naruto, and he smirked.

"I am aware that your village council has ordered that Naruto Uzumaki not be allowed within the limits of Konoha. I do not wish to contradict that order, but the man behind me is merely here to participate in the Chuunin Exams and will leave graciously after they are completed. Also, I have insured that his proper name is on his registration forms for the exams – Naruto Namikaze."

Tsunade's eyes widened slightly, but her smile only grew when hearing the Kazekage's words.

"I do not see any problem with his participation. I will submit a copy of allowed participants to the council because they always ask for it; I do not see why they should have any reason to deny his entry."

"Thank you, Lady Hokage, I will take my leave know and rejoin my siblings," and he bowed once more.

"I'll see you later, Gaara," Naruto stated, and his friend nodded his head as he exited the office.

Tsunade nearly ran around her desk and crushed Naruto in her arms.

"Baa-chan…I can't breathe!" he groaned. She only squeezed him tighter.

"I missed you…you loud-mouthed knucklehead," she sighed happily and felt her eyes tear up.

Naruto wrapped his arms around his surrogate mother; he rarely saw Tsunade fight to keep her composure like this.

"I missed you too…you crazy, old lady," he teased.

Sakura smiled at seeing the two hug each other. By talking with Naruto about his past, she'd come to realize how much Tsunade really meant to him. She knew that her shishou held Naruto in a very special part of her heart so she wasn't surprised to see the two so emotional at seeing each other again.

Tsunade let him go several minutes later, and her eyes scanned him rather appraisingly.

"Well…well…well…Naruto…you certainly look handsome; I'm glad to see Sakura has been a good influence on you."

Naruto tensed up slightly, and the Hokage grinned widely. She saw Sakura trying not to blush and laughed out loud.

"Don't even try it you two. I can read it on both of your faces which means that you were successful weren't you, Sakura?"

"Hai Shishou, very successful," the pinkette replied happily.

Naruto looked back and forth between the two women trying to figure out what he was missing. Tsunade decided to give him an explanation.

"You see, Naruto, when Sakura asked for permission to travel to Suna, I agreed but gave her one order to complete."

"What was that?"

Sakura came over to his side and hugged his arm. She smiled warmly and kissed his cheek making him blush.

"She told me to 'go get my man'."

Naruto blushed even harder, and the two women he loved the most broke down laughing. He couldn't help it and joined them soon after.

"So Naruto, tell me, what brings you back here? Don't tell me the Chuunin exams because I know that's just a cover."

All humor left the young man's face, and he looked the Hokage right in the eye.

"I came back to settle several matters – first, restoring my true name; second, seeing that the bastards who caused the Kyuubi incident are punished for their crimes; and third, to settle certain issues with Sasuke. I am also fulfilling a promise to a good friend I acquired while I was gone, and I want you to meet him, Baa-chan. However, I believe it would be best to let you meet him in person."

"Who is he?" questioned Tsunade.

"First off, there is something that you should about me regarding Kyuubi."

The Hokage's eyes widened in apprehension as red chakra burst from Naruto's body, and she saw multiple tails erupted from behind him.

"Naruto…stop! You're going to break the seal," she ordered. The young man merely smiled and continued.

Tsunade started sweating as she saw more tails appear behind him until her worst fears were realized as all nine tails burst out behind Naruto. She was shocked to see that Sakura hadn't budged since he had started releasing red chakra.

"Relax baa-chan, it's all right; I'm still me," Naruto stated, and Tsunade saw that his eyes were still a vivid blue.

"Naruto…what are you doing? How are you…controlling him?"

"I'm not controlling Kyuubi; he is a part of me."

Tsunade nearly fainted and grabbed the edge of her desk for support.

"What do you mean a part of you?"

The red chakra flowing around Naruto separated from his body, and Tsunade's eyes widened further as it began to form right next to him. The chakra formed into a large fox with nine, long tails flowing behind it. It saw up on its haunches regally before lowering its head and bowing.

"It is an honor to meet you, Lady Hokage," the fox stated, and it was then that Tsunade really did pass out.

"Was it something I said?" Kyuubi asked.

Naruto couldn't help it and burst out laughing, and Sakura was trying not to chuckle as well. She managed to compose herself and went to help her overwhelmed shishou.

XXXXXXXXXX

Tsunade opened her eyes about five minutes later and rubbed her temples.

"That was weird; I thought I just saw the Kyuubi sitting in my office," she grumbled.

"He is," came a voice.

The Hokage's eyes widened in shock as she turned her head to see the nine-tailed fox next to Naruto. It looked at her curiously but without malice in its eyes.

"You…you…how are you…here? What do you want?" she asked nervously.

"I mean you no harm, Lady Hokage."

That statement got Tsunade's attention, and her temper kicked in.

"No harm! You nearly destroyed our home twenty years ago! I should kill you myself!"

"Enough!" a voice thundered.

Tsunade was surprised to hear the tone in Naruto's voice as he stepped between her and the fox. His eyes held no anger but also held no room for argument.

"Calm down, baa-chan, and I will explain everything. Kyuubi is not at fault for what happened twenty years ago; he is as honorable as I am."

"He is correct, shishou; please, allow Naruto to explain," Sakura added.

Tsunade nodded her head but kept her fists clenched.

XXXXXXXXXX

Naruto began to explain everything that he had learned from his father and Kyuubi. He explained what happened with Madara Uchiha and Danzo. He also explained about how he and Sakura had traveled to the spirit realm to visit Kyuubi's village. Sakura added in her own explanations as well, and Kyuubi would occasionally add in tidbits of information that were needed. In addition, Sakura added her conversations with Kyoko and what she had learned from the elder vixen.

Tsunade was stunned as she listened to the story unfold, but like Sakura had, she began to see the pieces fall into place. Sakura had left out the part about her and Kyoko being merged together; she wanted to leave that for a later discussion.

"That slimy, one-armed bastard," she growled after everything was told to her.

"Now, you see why I came back here, baa-chan. I need to fix what happened here twenty years ago. Neither my father nor the old man will rest in peace until this matter is dealt with. I would suggest that none of what has been said here leave this office yet."

"Good idea, Naruto, we will bide our time, but this must be taken care of before the exams end. Otherwise, the council may have you arrested for staying longer," Tsunade stated.

"Yeah, I know. Well…if you don't mind, I'm going to visit some old friends," Naruto said with a smile.

Tsunade looked at him skeptically, and she saw Sakura roll her eyes.

"He means he's going to Ichiraku, shishou," she said with a grin.

"Hey, it's been six months since I've been there. Give me a break!"

"Go on, Naruto, I'll meet you there shortly; I want to talk to Tsunade-sama alone."

Naruto pulled her close and kissed her gently. Sakura blushed as she was surprised he'd do this in front of the Hokage, but her teacher merely sat at her desk with a grin on her face.

"Love you," he whispered and let her go.

"Oh, go on you," she sighed and pushed him towards the door. Naruto laughed as he left the office.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Well Sakura, it looks like you two have become quite the item," Tsunade laughed making her apprentice blush harder.

"Yes, in fact we're a lot more than that. To give the simplest explanation, I'm Naruto's mate."

"His what?" the Hokage asked. Sakura smiled at her teacher.

"I know it sounds a bit primal, but I like it when he calls me that. When I met Kyuubi's mate, she explained to me that she didn't need a piece of paper or a ceremony to know that he was her intended or future husband. All she had to do what look into his eyes. I feel the same with Naruto. Even though we haven't had the ceremony or exchanged vows, I know that he wants to be with me for the rest of my life; I don't know how else to explain it."

"I'm glad to see your convictions are so strong, Sakura. Which reminds me…" Tsunade's voice trailed, and she grinned at the young woman.

"What?" the pinkette asked confused.

"…don't 'what' me, young lady, I want details."

"Shishou!" she gasped and blushed furiously.

"Oh, don't be shy, Sakura. Come on, spill it. I'm sure you found some other uses for Naruto's stamina right?"

"That's none of your business!"

"Don't pout. You don't have to mention the juicy bits – unless you want to," Tsunade teased.

"That's not the point. I'm not going to tell you about sex between Naruto and me."

"Ah, so you did sleep with him. Sakura, you naughty girl."

The pinkette suddenly realized she'd been suckered. The older woman's smile became genuine, and she laughed happily.

"You don't have to tell me anything else, Sakura; I was just teasing you. I saw the smile on your face and the look in Naruto's eyes when you came in here. I'm glad that the two of you make each other happy."

"Thank you, shishou. A part of me wonders if I should be allowed to let Naruto love me. I hurt him so many times over the years, and yet, he would gladly go through it all again just to see me smile. What did I do to deserve someone like that?"

"You probably already know this, but I'll say it anyway. A lot of times, the men who are the best husbands are also the biggest idiots. I've known that Naruto has loved you for a long time, but I was not going to try and push you two together. Loving someone can't be forced. I wasn't going to help or interfere until you gave me reason to. Now, why don't get out here and go join Naruto for lunch."

Sakura smiled and bowed to her teacher when she realized she almost forgot something. Reaching into her weapon's pouch she withdrew a sealed envelope.

"One other thing, shishou, could you please deliver this to the town registrar so it can be recorded. It was approved in Suna, but I figured you would want it on file here as well."

Tsunade took the letter, and Sakura left without another word. The older woman looked at the envelope and figured she might as well read it. Reaching for her letter opener, she cut open the seal.

XXXXXXXXXX

After closing the door to the Hokage's office, Sakura stopped by Shizune's desk to see her.

"Hello Shizune, I think shishou will need you shortly," the pinkette said with a wide grin.

"What do you mean?"

Sakura didn't answer her but began counting down.

"Five…four…three…two…one…"

"THEY'RE WHAT!" came a voice from inside.

"Shizune, get in here!"

"See what I mean," Sakura laughed and headed down the hall.

XXXXXXXXXX

Shizune cautiously entered the Hokage's office to see her mistress seething at her desk, clutching a letter in her hand.

"Lady Tsunade…is something wrong?"

"Those conniving, little brats. They didn't even tell me!"

"Um…who are you talking about?"

"Here," Tsunade growled and shoved the letter into Shizune's hands.

The dark-haired kunoichi opened the letter and was surprised to the see words 'Certificate of Marriage' at the top. Her eyes widened as she read the document, and she looked at her mistress in surprise.

"Why didn't they tell us? Perhaps they didn't want anyone to know yet."

"He should've at least told me," Tsunade growled and crossed her arms.

"Maybe Naruto knew how easily you spout out things when you're drunk," Shizune stated.

"What was that?" the Hokage hissed, and her assistant cringed slightly.

"Hmph. Stupid brat can't even tell me when he gets married."

"Maybe they haven't had the ceremony yet. I don't recall her parents leaving town at all, and you know she would have wanted them there. Maybe they just did the legal part before leaving Suna."

"You may be right, Shizune, but if that's the case, this is going to cause quite a stir."

"Well…Naruto always knew how to get people's attention," Shizune replied and starting laughing. Tsunade shook her head and joined her a moment later.

Naruto finished wolfing down his seventh bowl of ramen when Sakura walked into Ichiraku. He set the bowl down next to the others and padded his stomach.

"Ah, I'm stuffed," he sighed happily.

"Finished already, Naruto," Sakura teased as she took a seat beside him.

"Yeah, I was really hungry. Sorry, did you want something too?"

"No, I'm fine, and you're always hungry, baka," she said with a warm smile.

"She has you pegged, Naruto," Ayame said with a smile as she took the empty bowls to the back to be cleaned.

"Hey, I haven't been here in six months, and you're already ganging up on me!" he pouted.

"Stop pretending you're upset; I know you're not. Besides, I have something important to talk to you about," Sakura retorted.

"What is it?" the blonde stated and immediately turned serious.

"I went to see my parents, and…Sasuke was there talking to them."

Naruto felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up, but there wasn't really anything wrong with Sasuke talking to her parents.

"Did he say why he was there?"

Sakura frowned and tried not to look annoyed.

"Yes. The bastard was actually there to ask permission to marry me," she growled.

"He what!"

The temperature inside Ichiraku suddenly dropped about fifty degrees as Naruto's chakra whipped around him like a tornado.

"Why is it so cold out here?" Ayame stated and froze as she came out from the back room. She had never seen Naruto angry before; he usually always had a big smile on his face. Now however, what she saw before her was a powerful shinobi, and he was pissed!

"Calm down, Naruto, nothing became of it. I told my parents that Sasuke and I had broken up before I left for Suna. Of course, Sasuke tried to say it was a misunderstanding, but I vehemently denied him. Then, he tried to discredit you by telling my parents you hurt me when Kyuubi took you over during the fight with Orochimaru."

Naruto tensed slightly, and his fists clenched. He was still very touchy about Sakura having been hurt. Her small hands wrapped around his fists and squeezed gently. She felt him relax, and his chakra returned to normal levels.

"I immediately denied that you had ever hurt me, and I explained to them exactly what happened. I then went on to explain that Sasuke wasn't even there so the only way he knew was from either Orochimaru or Kabuto telling him. I told them about how I realized that you were the one I wanted to be with and how happy you made me. When I said that you were my mate, Sasuke went through the roof and lost his temper. I didn't stop and went on to convince my parents how serious I was about you, and…they accepted my decision."

"So…they're okay with us being together!" Naruto said as his face lit up.

"Yes. Of course, Sasuke didn't take it too well – especially when my father asked him to leave."

"What happened?" the blonde asked with narrowed eyes.

"He called me a slut and stomped out the door."

"Teme's a dead man," Naruto growled as his eyes flashed red.

"Naruto, wait!" Sakura ordered and grabbed his arm as the young man tried to run out of the ramen stand.

"Don't stop me, Sakura-chan, no one insults you twice and gets away with it."

"I know you're angry, Naruto, but let me finish. I was going to deck Sasuke for calling me that again, but my father beat me to it. He slammed Sasuke into the door and told him that if he ever insulted me again, he'd rip out his eyes. After I told my father to let me handle him, I picked up Sasuke by the scruff of his shirt and kicked him right in the crotch."

Naruto visibly winced, and even Ayame cringed at that description.

"Just before I threw him out the door, I told Sasuke that he would never beat you, and that you were twice the man he was – in every way," Sakura finished with a wide grin.

"Remind me never to make you seriously angry," Naruto sighed and pulled her against his chest. The pinkette giggled and hugged him tightly.

"It's about time, you two," Tenchu said happily as he came out of the back room wiping his hands on a towel.

Naruto looked at two of his oldest friends; he didn't know what to say so he just shrugged his shoulders.

"I guess I'm just lucky," he replied and laid a kiss on her pink head. Sakura smiled happily and nuzzled his neck.

"Naruto…Sasuke aside…I wanted you to come meet my parents tonight. I know you've met them before, but this time, it would be as-"

"-the man who loves you," he finished for her.

"Will you come to dinner at my parents' house tonight?" she asked hopefully.

Naruto looked down at his mate, and his blue eyes glowed with pure warmth.

"Of course, I will, Sakura-chan. As if I could ever say 'no' to you," he chuckled.

"Thanks baka, I'll go tell my mom to expect you for dinner."

Sakura stepped out his arms, but just before she parted the hanging banners, Naruto grabbed her hand and yanked her back against his chest.

"Hey, what are you-"

She was cut off as Naruto claimed her lips hungrily. Grandstanding a little, he bent her over and savaged her mouth. Ayame giggled and pushed her father into the back room to give the couple some privacy. The pinkette was helpless as her mate practically sucked the life out of her.

"Hmm…sweet yet spicy…that's my Sakura-chan," Naruto teased as he nuzzled her playfully.

He let her back up, and the kunoichi's legs wobbled as she tried to get her brain working again. Wow, that had been phenomenal.

"What was that for, baka?" she sighed with a flushed face.

"To keep me going until I see you at dinner," he replied with a cheeky grin.

"So I'm your sustenance now," Sakura asked and cocked her hips to the side as if she was striking a pose for him to admire.

"I'm completely addicted to you, Sakura-chan."

Naruto's hands wondered over her body, and he did a quick check of the area to make sure they were alone. Sensing no one coming down the street, he nearly purred in his mate's ear.

"I love the taste of your sweet lips and delectable mouth. I also adore this mouth-watering body you have been graced with. I love to feel the weight of your breasts fill my hands, and your hard nipples pucker in my palms," he said huskily while his voice was just high enough for her to hear.

"Naruto…stop…" she protested as her body heated up as the rumbling baritone of his words drove her crazy.

"I especially love how my cock fits perfectly inside you, Sakura-chan. I love how it feels to fill up your tight, little pussy or your plump, little ass. I'm addicted to the look in your eyes when we make love, my cherry blossom; I will never let anyone else see you like that except me."

Naruto's hands glided down her sides and squeezed her firm, ripe ass. He ground her against his hips, and she felt the growing erection in his pants.

"I'm glad you enjoy me so much, Naruto, because I enjoy you just as much. I love feeling your hands run across me with such thorough yet gentle movements. I love seeing the desire in your eyes when I ride you, or you pin to the bed. I love how deep you go inside me and touch the very depths of my being with that wonderful cock of yours. I'm yours and only yours, Naruto. That will never change."

Sakura stood up on her toes and kissed him passionately. After several heated minutes, Naruto pulled back and looked down into her lust-laden eyes.

"Do you have to go see your mother right now?" he asked. Sakura smirked and licked her lips.

"Why…did you have something else in mind?"

"You've got thirty seconds to head for apartment before I come after you, and you better make it there before me," he growled.

"Why is that?" she prodded and almost gulped at the evil smile on his face.

"Wherever I catch you is where I going to fuck you; I don't care if it's the middle of the damn market!"

"Oh, that would make quite a site for Tsunade-sama to explain away."

"Hell, she'll probably praise us for doing it," Naruto laughed.

"Give me one minute, instead, Naruto, and I promise to be waiting for you – naked, wet, and wanton," she cooed into his ear and felt his erection pulse.

"Done. Now…go," he immediately released her, and Sakura took off like a shot.

He mentally began counting down in his head while Ayame came out of the kitchen.

"Sakura left already, Naruto?" she inquired, and the blonde just nodded his head.

"Everything alright?"

Naruto reached sixty and nodded his head again.

"Yes, Ayame-san, everything's fine; I just have a very important appointment to keep. Bye!" and he dashed out of the ramen stall and leapt up onto the rooftops.

XXXXXXXXXX

By the time that Naruto got to Sakura's apartment, he was so worked up he was afraid he'd tear the door off its hinges. Thankfully, he saw that her bedroom window had been left open, and he smiled at her forethought. Leaping through the window, his eyes took in his own personal slice of paradise.

Sakura lay on her bed stark naked. Her legs were spread wide, and her fingers were caressing her glistening slit. Her other hand was kneading her breast, and she showed her mate the wetness on her fingers.

"Hey handsome, come to claim your horny vixen," she teased and nearly made him cum as she licked her own juices from her fingers.

Sliding the window closed, he latched it and closed her curtains. Naruto nearly tore his clothes off and was relieved to see she had shut her bedroom door. He quickly formed the hand signs to soundproof the room before he leapt on top of his wanton mate. His lips eagerly latched onto one of her hard nipples while his fingers took over the job of teasing her womanhood.

"Naruto…don't tease me…" she pleaded.

He smirked at how horny he could make her and slid into the cradle of her thighs. Lining himself up, he thrust himself deep inside her exquisite body.

"Hmm…feels good to be home," Naruto said with a wide smile.

Sakura almost laughed at his words, but she saw the love and happiness overpower the lust in his eyes. He was home because he was with her, and she loved him even more for feeling that way. She wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him completely inside her.

"Make love to me, my husband," she ordered playfully.

"As my lady wishes," and he kissed her hungrily as their passion carried them off into their own world.

XXXXXXXXXX

Author's Notes: So, our couple returns to Konoha. Next time, we'll see what happens with Naruto and Sakura's parents. Also, the fighting should start in about two chapters. I haven't narrowed down Naruto's opponents yet, but I have finalized list. See ya next time.


	10. Dinner with the Parents

Later that evening Naruto stood outside the Haruno residence. He was trying not to sweat bullets as he composed himself for the evening ahead. He had picked another of the new outfits Sakura had helped him buy which consisted of a pair of khakis and a navy blue dress shirt. He'd left his headband at home so his shaggy, blond hair hung down over his forehead.

'Jeez, my hands are soaked, and I feel like there's a rock in my throat,' he groaned inwardly.

'Kit, you have the same feeling that every man who goes to meet his girl's parents has. If you feel like that it means you're ready for this. Just be yourself but do try and have some manners while eating.'

'Thanks a lot, hairball, some friend you are,' and his comment drew a laugh from the fox inside him.

Finally, he managed to swallow the lump in his throat and knocked on the front door. As it opened, he came face to face with Sakura's father. The older man stared at him with a neutral expression, and Naruto figured he might as well say something.

"Hello, Mr. Haruno," he managed to croak out and bowed slightly in respect.

"Hello, Naruto, please come in," and he moved aside.

XXXXXXXXXX

Naruto entered the Haruno residence and did a quick survey of his surroundings. He had been here before but never for any length of time. Sakura's father showed to their dining room and stated that they would be having dinner shortly. They passed by the kitchen on the way there, and Naruto's nose picked up a scent that was utterly delicious. Sakura's mother saw him and gave him a slight smile.

"Good evening, Naruto."

"Good evening, ma'am," and he gave a slight bow as Sakura's father stood next to him.

"I hope you came hungry, my boy; Sakura told me how much you can eat so I made plenty of food," she said with a small grin.

Naruto blushed heavily and scratched the back of his head nervously. He watched Sakura's mother putter around the kitchen for a few moments, and he let his thoughts wander. He saw where his mate has received her pink hair from, and her mother was a stunning woman for her age. From her profile and actions, it was easy to see she was a former kunoichi, and her body was womanly yet slim. Naruto imagined how Sakura would look in twenty years, and he knew that he was a very lucky man.

"Ah," a sharp gasped drew his attention, and time seemed to slow down as his senses kicked in.

Sakura's mother had been carrying a large pot from the stove to the counter when she had slipped on some liquid that had dripped onto the floor. Her hands went flying upwards to trying and catch herself sending the pot in the opposite directions. Naruto's battle instincts kicked in and within a half second his fingers formed a familiar handsign.

A few seconds later, Mrs. Haruno got a hold of herserlf; she expected to be lying on her kitchen floor in a heap. However, she was leaning back against someone, and she turned her head to see Naruto behind her. He'd caught her!

"Are you alright, ma'am?" he asked as he helped her stand up again.

"Yes Naruto, thank you," she replied with a smile of gratitude.

"Dear, are you sure you're fine?" her husband asked worriedly.

"I'm fine, but I just ruined most of dinner," she groaned as she realized she'd sent the pot flying across the kitchen.

"Um…excuse me…Mrs. Haruno, but it's still alright," came a voice.

The older woman turned to see a second Naruto standing in the opposite direction holding the pot she'd thrown and everything was still in it. He set it down on the counter carefully, and her smile just grew.

"Naruto…how…what…"

Both Narutos scratched their heads nervously and chuckled.

"When I heard you gasp and saw what happened, I immediately made a shadow clone to catch the pot while I caught you," the real Naruto explained.

Both of the elder Harunos looked at him in amazement.

"Naruto…your speed is incredible. How did you do that so fast?" Mr. Haruno said in astonishment.

"It really wasn't anything special; any ninja could have done it," he replied.

"Thank you, Naruto," Mrs. Haruno said warmly.

"You're welcome. Glad I could help."

"Hey…what was the noise I heard from in here?" came a voice from the opposite hallway.

Naruto's eyes nearly bugged out of their sockets as he took in the goddess before him. There, wearing a sexy, short, black dress that did wonders for her body, stood his cherry blossom. Her hair was pulled up slightly in a stylish arrangement, and she had on a tiny hint of makeup.

"Sorry sweetie, I slipped on some water that I dribbled on the floor and almost sent dinner flying across the kitchen. Thankfully, Naruto caught me and the pot before it was ruined," her mother explained.

Sakura smiled widely as she shifted her eyes to look at her beloved, and she found both Narutos staring at her in utter awe. He was dumbstruck by her, and she smiled internally at how beautiful he made her feel just by looking at her.

"Wow!" they both gawked with their jaws on the floor.

The pinkette smirked at her beloved and walked over to the original one. She placed her finger under his chin and closed his mouth which managed to get his brain working again. The clone disappeared in a puff of smoke, and Naruto shook his head to clear his thoughts.

"Sakura-chan…you look…just…wow…" he stuttered incoherently.

"Thank you, Naruto, you're so eloquent," she teased and kissed his cheek. He blushed slightly and picked up her hand. Placing a soft kiss against her fingers, his eyes told her everything he was feeling.

"Come on, baka, let's go sit down," and she led him out of the kitchen towards the dining room.

"Well…looks like he is quite taken with our little Sakura, isn't he?" Mrs. Haruno said while trying not to chuckle.

"How do you know that, dear?" her husband asked her.

"Don't you remember, you had that same dopey expression on your face on our first date."

"I did not!" he protested, but his wife just smiled at him warmly, and he knew she was right.

XXXXXXXXXX

Dinner had been wonderful, and Naruto had actually behaved himself while eating. Of course, it didn't stop him from polishing off three servings of Sakura's mother's teriyaki chicken and rice. He was stuffed to the gills, and now the four of them sat in the living room. Sakura sat next to him on one couch while her parents sat across from them on another couch.

"I have a question for you, Naruto, but don't take it the wrong way?" Mr. Haruno asked him.

"I will answer as truthfully as I can, sir."

"Tell me, what is it about my daughter that attracted you? What makes you think you are in love with her?"

"Dad!" Sakura gasped in outrage. How could he ask a question like that? Naruto had done so much for her; he knew that!

"I'll answer the question," Naruto said firmly, and his mate looked at him in shock.

"There isn't only one thing that makes Sakura attractive to me. I've admired and adored her since we were younger. I knew that she had a crush on Sasuke when she was younger, and I accepted that, but I at least wanted to try and be her friend. I can remember when I was about seven years old, and I saw a bunch of kids making fun of Sakura because they thought she had a big forehead."

The pinkette instantly remembered that moment, and it was where Ino had given her that stupid nickname from.

"I saw them laughing at her and then they just left her alone all by herself. She started crying, and no one came to find her – not her teachers, her friends, no one. Eventually, she cried herself to sleep right there on the ground. I knew what she was feeling; she felt like she was all alone without anyone caring about her. I was born like any normal child, but the circumstances surrounding my birth caused me to be looked at like a freak by everyone in this village. Parents would tell their children not come near me because I was different and not worth their time. I knew what it was like to be completely alone, and I'd be damned before I let someone else suffer like that."

Naruto stopped for a moment to compose himself, and Sakura put her hand on his thigh. She had no idea that he has witnessed what had happened to her back then. What shocked her even more was that her parents were nearly frozen in place. They were staring at Naruto with a very odd expression and wouldn't look her in the eye. She stopped her thoughts when Naruto continued his tale.

"Despite my age, I was still pretty strong, and Sakura didn't weigh much so I managed to carry her back towards the school building. Unfortunately, not many of the instructors liked me very much so when they saw me carry her inside they got very angry at me. They yelled at me and accused me of trying to hurt her. When I tried to explain to them what happened, one of them slapped me across the face and told me to 'get out'."

Sakura nearly felt her heart break as she listened to him. Why…why did he have to go through so much pain? Dammit, what kind of sick people would do that to a small boy?

"I am sorry for the long explanation, sir, but I believe it would be best if you heard the whole history between Sakura and myself. It wasn't until after the ninja academy that I saw much of Sakura again. I was ecstatic that I got to be on her team, but I know she wasn't very happy about it. Back then, I know she thought I was annoying cause all I did was play pranks on people and did stupid things," he said with a slight chuckle.

Sakura managed to smile despite her somber mood. No matter how she was feeling, Naruto always managed to make her smile somehow.

"I'm sure that she's told you about our various adventures on Team 7 so I won't bore you with all the details. I do remember one instance though where I saw Sakura's spirit and determination. Ero-sennin and I had just come back to the village with Tsunade, and she went to the hospital to help Sasuke, and the others who were hurt during a recent battle. I saw Sakura sitting next to his bed. She had been bringing flowers to his room each day and hoping that he would somehow wake up. Sasuke had never really hinted that he cared about her and wanted to be with her, but it didn't stop her from trying. I can still remember how hard you cried when you saw his eyes open, Sakura-chan; I thought you were going to crush him you hugged him so hard. At that moment, a part of me began to understand that as much as I might hope for it, you would never cry over me. I knew that I wasn't needed there any longer so I left you two alone."

"Why didn't you tell me about this?" Sakura gasped with tears in her eyes.

Naruto turned to his mate and wiped the moisture from her cheeks. His eyes were not angry or hateful towards her; they still held every bit of warmth towards her.

"Sakura-chan, you followed your heart; I couldn't fault you for that."

Mrs. Haruno had trouble controlling her emotions as she listened to the young man speak. She could practically feel the emotions in his words as he poured his heart out.

"After Sasuke left the village, I was assigned to the team who was supposed to retrieve him, and Sakura came to see me at the gates of the village. She told me that she had tried to talk to Sasuke, but he'd left anyway. I remember watching the tears roll down her cheeks, and I was feeling conflicting emotions at that point. A part of me wanted to bring Sasuke back so Sakura wouldn't cry anymore while another part of me wondered if maybe she would notice me if he wasn't around anymore. My decision was made when she told me I was the only one who could bring Sasuke back. I told her that I knew exactly how it felt to love someone and have them totally ignore you. I didn't wait for her response; I just promised that I would bring him back."

Sakura wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly. She was the luckiest woman in the world to have this man love her.

"Even though we didn't get Sasuke to come back here that time, it didn't stop Sakura and I from trying. I left on a training trip with Ero-sennin to improve myself, and Sakura became Tsunade's apprentice. So…what does all this have to do with how I feel about Sakura? To be honest, I don't know if it explains anything about my feelings for her; I just simply know what I feel. I love her simply because…she's Sakura; that's as simple as I can make it."

He received another hug from his mate, and she her head on his shoulder.

"And I love you, simply because…you're my baka," she said tenderly.

Sakura looked at her two parents and saw the respect and slight awe in their eyes as they stared at her beloved. Naruto didn't sugarcoat things; he spoke simply and plainly.

"Mom…Dad…I know that people in this village think that Naruto is this horrible monster, but he's not! Sometimes, I can't understand how he can still love me after how miserable I made him when we were younger, but I'm thankful that he's the most stubborn man that I know. He never gave up on me, and I know that he never will. I've learned that life isn't a fairy tale. It's about experiencing joy, happiness, pain, sorrow, love, hate, and everything in between. I know that our lives aren't going to be perfect, but I do know that we'll both do whatever we can to make each other happy. I'm going to say this simply – just like he did; it's same thing that I told shishou before she let me go to Suna. I can't be Sakura without Naruto; I can't be me without this wonderful idiot by my side."

He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and squeezed her gently.

"I will always be here for you, Sakura-chan – no matter what."

XXXXXXXXXX

The two elder Harunos looked at one another, and each took a deep breath. Mr. Haruno was the first to break the silence.

"I can hear the strength of both your convictions as well as your feelings for each other. I can't say that this sits well with me entirely right now, but I won't try and stop you two," he said simply.

"What about you, mother?" Sakura prodded.

"I feel the same as your father. I had hoped that you might attract the attention of someone with an established family, but I see how serious you are about this. If I tried to stop you, I have no doubt that you'd never speak to me again, and I don't want to lose my daughter."

Naruto nudged Sakura slightly, and he drew something out of his shirt. She grinned at what he was holding and nodded her head.

"Mother, I appreciate you letting me make my own decision about this, but I think I have some news that will cheer you up."

The pinkette took one of the documents and handed it to her mother. Mrs. Haruno read over it, and her eyes shot open as she saw that it was in fact a marriage certificate.

"You two are married!" she gasped, and Mr. Haruno gawked.

"Legally, yes," Sakura replied simply.

"How could you do this without asking us?" her father demanded.

"I believe we have already answered that question. Besides, why don't the two of you take a look at the names on it."

The two parents looked at the bottom of the document, and it read 'Sakura Haruno' 'Naruto Namikaze'.

"Namikaze…why do I know that name?" her mother asked then her eyes widened again.

"Yes, mother, it is exactly as you think. The man sitting next to me is Naruto Namikaze – son of the fourth Hokage."

"How is this possible?" her father nearly stuttered.

Naruto and Sakura spent the next short while explaining about Naruto's heritage and what truly caused the Kyuubi incident from twenty years. They left out the part about the fox spirits cohabitating with them for now. Mrs. Haruno was flabbergasted over the news, and her attitude towards their marriage changed quite drastically. Mr. Haruno was still objected slightly, but that was just because Sakura was his only child.

"Mom, please, don't tell anybody about this yet. Naruto and I will anounce this publicly when we feel it is right, but we wanted to let the two of you know first. I wasn't really planning on telling you all this tonight, but I'm not sorry that I did."

XXXXXXXXXX

About an hour later, Naruto and Sakura left the Haruno residence after saying their goodbyes and headed back for her apartment.

"Well…that went well…I guess," Naruto croaked out.

"Yes…it was rather interesting, but at least, my parents didn't freak out about us being together."

"I can't wait to climb into bed and sleep; I'm exhausted."

"That's because you ate too much, baka," Sakura teased.

The two lovers laughed and joked with each other all the way back.

XXXXXXXXXX

Unlocking her front door, Sakura entered her apartment she shared with Ino, and Naruto followed her to her room. A letter was tape to her bedroom door, and a small note was attached to it.

'Hey forehead,

Gaara left this for Naruto; it's his schedule for the Chuunin exams tomorrow.'

Naruto immediately took the letter and ripped it open. His eyes browsed through it, and they widened as his eyes took in the name of his first opponent. A small smirk crossed his lips and made Sakura very curious.

"Well…I see Baa-chan isn't going to make this easy on me."

"Who's your first opponent tomorrow," his mate prodded.

Naruto handed her the letter, and Sakura was just as surprised to the see name of his first opponent tomorrow – Kakashi Hatake.

XXXXXXXXXX

Author's Notes: Hey guys, kinda a short chapter for not updating for so long, but this was one of those chapters where I got bored halfway through writing it. Next time, though, the action starts, and I promise, they're will be a few surprises and unexpected plot additions.


	11. Chuunin Exams Begin

Naruto woke up the next morning feeling absolutely wonderful. He was refreshed, relaxed, and the most incredible sensation was coming from his crotch. Tilting his head down, he was treated with seeing Sakura hungrily devouring his cock.

"Ah…good morning…" she stated in between sucking on him.

"Sakura-chan…you're so good at this," he groaned huskily.

'All right, Sakura, go for it,' Kyoko prodded her friend mentally.

"Just you wait, baka, I have a surprise for you…" she trailed off.

Bracing herself, Sakura opened her mouth and deepthroated him in one shot. Naruto's eyes widened in shock as he watched every inch of his large shaft disappear into that incredible mouth. It took her a few attempts, but eventually, Sakura felt her nose tickled by his pubic hair.

'I did it; I actually did it!' she shouted silently.

'Told you could do it; you just needed me to tell you how. Now, rock his world!' Kyoko laughed.

Naruto thought he was going to die from pleasure as his sexy mate swallowed him again and again. Her pace was slow yet steady, and all he could do was clench his hands in the sheet and pray that he didn't cum too fast.

"Sakura-chan…how…where…did you learn to do this?" he managed to croak out.

Sliding the large cock out of her mouth, the pinkette placed an affectionate kiss on the head making it twitch violently.

"Nowhere. Kyoko just gave me a few pointers," she said with a wide grin.

"She what!" Naruto growled only to have his anger overcome by exquisite pleasure as Sakura returned to her ministrations. Every few minutes, she would slide his cock between her breasts to tease him even more, and the blonde nearly went insane.

"Sakura-chan…please…finish me already!" he practically begged.

With a grin worthy of her teacher, Sakura popped him out of her mouth and stalked her way up his body. Neither of them had worn anything to bed which had made her morning surprise so much easiser. She dragged her breasts up the planes of his chest and moaned as her nipples rubbed against the warm steel of his muscles. Arriving at his face, she devoured his mouth as her hands wrapped around his shaft. A slight shift of her hips, and she slammed down on top of him.

"Fuck me…" Naruto growled out, and Sakura giggled.

"Gladly," she retorted and pounded her hips into his waist.

The pinkette got her legs under her and sat up on his hips. Smirking from atop her perch, Sakura rocked her hips back and forth riding her beloved just as she liked. Naruto had stopped just receiving, and he thrust hips up to meet her. Filling his hands with her luscious breasts, he tweeked her nipples until a loud moan from drawn from her mouth.

"Naruto!" she gasped as he pinched her sharply.

"Mmm…to what do I owe the honor of such an amazing wake-up call, Sakura-chan?"

Grinning widely, she leaned down and kissed him soundly.

"I just wanted to make sure you were nice and loose for your match today; I didn't want you to be uptight," she teased.

"I do so love our private training sessions, my love."

"As do I, my handsome fox."

XXXXXXXXXX

Naruto made sure that his cherry blossom came at least three times before he poured his seed inside her hungry womb. He could imagine Sakura someday carrying his children inside her, and it made him even happier. She collapsed on top of him but kept their intimate connection; they always lingered together as long as possible.

Sakura relished in the afterglow of their joining, and she sighed happily at feeling him stroke her hair. No matter how many times they made love, it seemed to get better every time. She wanted to bask in this feeling forever, but a loud knock at her door interrupted her peace.

"Hey forehead…wake up!" Ino screeched.

"What do you want?" Sakura growled back. She could hear a laugh through the door.

"Gaara just stopped by and let me know that the chuunin exams will be starting in an hour. You better tell Naruto to get his ass in gear, or he's gonna be late!"

"What makes you think he's here?" Sakura's answer was Ino's laughter trailing off down the hallway.

XXXXXXXXXX

The pinkette laid her head back down on his chest and groaned; she was really comfortable and didn't want to get up right now.

"Come on, Sakura-chan, we better get ready…" Naruto waited a few seconds, but his lover didn't move.

"…uh…Sakura-chan…you need to get off me so I can get up," he finished with a slight chuckle.

"Don't want to…nope…not moving…" she replied and buried her face in his neck causing Naruto chuckle even louder.

"Alright…you asked for it…"

Placing his hands on her firm ass, he crunched his abs and sat up with her in his lap. Sakura responded by wrapping her legs around him and locking him inside her.

"Come on…Sakura-chan…don't pout…"

"You don't have to leave yet," she answered back.

Naruto smiled lovingly and kissed her forehead. She loved being connected to him as much as he loved being connected with her. A grin crossed his face as he thought of a very simple solution.

"Sakura-chan…when's the last time I made love to you in the shower?"

The pinkette lifted her head and stared into his beautiful, blue eyes.

"I don't know, it's been a while." In reality, she knew it had only been about a week.

"Well then…why don't you move this sweet, little body of yours off my lap so I can do just that."

The idea seemed to please his mate because she unlocked her legs and slid off his cock. She stood up off the bed, and Naruto couldn't help but noticed how beautiful she looked all flushed and disshelved from their previous lovemaking.

Knowing her mate well, Sakura walked towards her bathroom with her hips swingly widely. She turned her head and found Naruto in full pervert mode as his eyes were glazed, and drool was coming out of his mouth. Grinning widely, she wiggled her ass at him, and steam nearly came out of his ears. His cock instantly hardened to full size, and the pinkette licked her lips.

'Don't just lie here like an idiot, kit, go get that frisky bitch!' Kyuubi prodded him.

'Damn right!' Naruto answered and jumped off the bed.

Sakura saw the lust in his eyes and decided to hammer the final nail in the coffin of his control. She leaned forward slightly and thrust her ass back towards him. Looking him directly in eye, she laid a firm smack on her ass causing the muscles to ripple enticingly.

"Come and get it, Naruto!" she challenged.

"Hell yes!"

It was going to be a very good morning.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Hey Ino," Sakura called as she entered the kitchen twenty minutes later with a bright smile on her face.

"Uh…forehead…you need to stop grinning like an idiot. I know you love the idiot, but you're starting to creep me out," the blonde groaned.

"That reminds me…you never told me where that impressive cleavage of yours came from. I know you usually bind your breasts, but I know for a fact they've grown a lot since you left."

"I promise you, Ino, when I have the time, both and Naruto will explain what happened to us. I want to see his match this morning so I'm going to meet him there. He already left a few minutes ago through my window."

"Who's he fighting this morning? I doubt any other chuunin candidate can stand up to him."

"Kakashi," Sakura replied, and Ino's eyes widened.

"Kakashi Hatake! That's nuts! How can an instructor and ANBU member be fighting a chuunin candidate; that's totally unfair."

"I agree, Ino. It's totally unfair…to Kakashi," the pinkette said with a grin.

"What do you mean, forehead?"

"Let's just say that Naruto's not the same man that everyone remembers. Plus, I know that shishou actually wants him to work for this so she has to give him tough opponents.

"I guess that makes sense. If those two are gonna be fighting, I definitely want to see this. Give me five minutes, and I'll go there with you."

"What about Chouji?"

"He already left earlier this morning. He was helping Shikamaru as part of the administration team for the exams."

"Shikamaru is a member of the administration staff. How did he agree to that? Isn't that way too 'troublesome' for him?" Sakura teased.

"Indeed. However he never quite calculates enough ahead for a certain wildcard," Ino said with a wide grin.

"You mean…" Sakura started.

"TEMARI," they both said at the same time and laughed.

"Yup, she told him to get off his lazy ass and help. She even threatened him with no sex for six months if he didn't agree to help."

"Ouch, that was cold. Naruto might be a baka, but I don't think I could ever put him through that."

"Oh come off it, forehead. You and I both know that neither one of us could survive that since the two biggest studs in Konoha now belong to us. We'd turn into frustrated, rampaging psycopaths within a month."

Both girls had another hearty laugh at that one.

XXXXXXXXXX

Naruto arrived at the stadium where the exams were being held, and he noticed that it had grown considerably. It was nearly twice the size of the one he had competed in when he was younger. He met Gaara, and the other Sand-nin inside where they all headed up to one of the overhead balconies to watch and await their own matches.

Over the next hour, the stadium began to fill as various shinobi members took their seats along with members of each of the village's clans. Naruto recognized Hinata's father and younger sister as they sat next to her and Kiba. Ino's parents were seated on one of the mid-levels, and Chouji was sitting next to them. There were two empty seats next to him which he assumed the chuunin has reserved for Ino and Sakura. He caught the large man's eye and nodded his head in thanks. He was happy to see Sakura's parents take their seats near the Yamanakas; he was glad they came to see him compete. Naruto's eyes narrowed slightly as he saw most of the village council's non-shinobi members appear in the crowd as well. They weren't required to be here, and it was actually rare when they showed up for this.

'Hmm…something is going on here. Maybe it has something to do with me.'

'You're probably right, kit. The fact that you put your real name on the registration is probably one of the reasons they are here. They probably shit their pants when they saw your last name,' the Kyuubi said with a chuckle.

'You've got a point there, fox. Either way, it's about time to get down to business. Kyuubi, unless something out of the ordinary happens, I don't want you to be involved in these fights. I know it will make you bored, but I don't want to reveal all my cards yet. I want to see what Sasuke and especially Danzo does after they see me fight.'

'I understand, kit. That's actually a good idea. I hope you get to fight that Uchiha brat; I would enjoy seeing him get pounded into the ground.'

'Thanks for the vote of confidence. I hope Kakashi-sensei is ready for this because he's going to get a very big surprise when he fights me.'

Naruto's scanning of the crowd picked up someone he did not expect to see here. Danzo, himself, sat down near the council, and he was flanked on all sides by his Root-nin. Surprisingly, Sasuke took the seat next to him, and Naruto's mind began to work.

'So…the two snakes are sitting together. No doubt they plan to see me fight and calculate a response based on that.'

'What do you plan to do, kit?'

'I'll give them what they want to a certain extent. I just won't let them 'see' me fight if you get my meaning.'

'Very clever, kit. That is an excellent idea,' Kyuubi replied with a mental chuckle.

Naruto checked his weapons' pouch and made sure he had everything he needed. He'd decided to wear his older clothes today so he had on his traditional orange and black jumpsuit. He wasn't wearing a forehead protector though which he hoped to correct by the end of the day. He couldn't wear a Konoha one since he had been exiled, and he couldn't wear one from Suna since he technically wasn't a Sand-nin.

The last of the seats filled up, and Sakura and Ino took their seats near her parents. Sakura saw Naruto up on the balcony and waved at him. He smiled at her and waved back.

At last, he saw Tsunade appear on one of the balconies as she took her position as well. A chuunin instructor entered the arena from one of the doorways and walked out to the middle of the battleground. He looked up at the Hokage, and she nodded her head.

'Kit…one last thing,' Kyuubi said mentally.

'What's up, fox?'

'Go kick some ass!'

XXXXXXXXXX

Tsunade hated wearing formalwear, but she had no choice with the Chuunin Exams. She felt like she was about to suffocate in the heavy robes she was wearing. She composed herself and walked to edge of the balcony she was sitting on.

"I welcome all of you to the annual Chuunin Exams. I wish to thank the Kazekage and his fellow sand-nin for coming here to participate. I look forward to seeing each match and the progress that these youngsters have made. Proctor, you may begin the first match. Let the Chuunin Exams commence!"

XXXXXXXXXX

Naruto watched the first five matches with varied interest as he watched the young shinobi fight. He was pleased to see that the two sand-nin who competed won their matches quite soundly. He was proud because each shinobi Gaara had chosen for the exams was someone who Naruto had worked with and trained.

The proctor moved to the center of the arena to begin the next match, and Naruto knew it was his turn.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this next match will be different. Since the candidate is highly skilled, the Hokage has selected an opponent that will be a fair challenge for him. As such, the opponent for the next candidate with be Kakashi Hatake."

A collective gasp when through the stadium as the famous shinobi's name was spoken. Several whispers were heard throughout the crowd as they wondered why such a strong shinobi was chosen to fight a candidate. A swirl of leaves appeared on the battlefield, and the copy ninja appeared reading one of his infamous books. The proctor nodded his head at Kakashi and proceeded.

"His opponents will be…Naruto Namikaze."

"Let's do this!" Naruto shouted as he leapt off the balcony, flipped over the crowd below him, and landed near the proctor.

More whispers were heard through the crowd at the blonde's arrival, and Kakashi grinned at his former teammate.

"Quite an entrance, Naruto."

"Kakashi-sensei…I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to finish you quickly today," his former student replied.

"Really…I look forward to seeing you attempt that," he said with a wide smile.

The older shinobi thought that Naruto would smile back, but the young man's expression changed. His face hardened, and his eyes narrowed dangerously. They zeroed in on the copy ninja, and Kakashi immediately closed his book.

'He's completely serious; there is no playfulness in his battle stance. Those eyes are almost menacing with their intensity; I cannot underestimate him at all.'

Kakashi pushed his headband up to uncover his Sharingan and put his book away.

The proctor looked at the two opponents and nodded at both of them.

"Let the match begin!" he shouted.

XXXXXXXXXX

Neither opponent moved as they stared at one another, but Naruto knew exactly what he was going to do.

"So Naruto, how should we start things off? Should we-"

Kakashi's words were cut off as he felt a massive force slam into his chest like a sledgehammer. All the air rushed out of his lungs, and his eyes bulged out his head. Naruto appeared behind him with a hard expression on his face.

"We're not starting anything, Kakashi-sensei; I'm ending this."

A blast of wind shot out from the copy ninja's back, and he collapsed face first onto the ground. The crowd gasped in shock and horror at what had just transpired. Kakashi Hatake was one of the best and most respected shinobi in all of Konoha, and this young man had just taken him down in less than five seconds.

Naruto saw all the shinobi gawking at him – including Tsunade. She had expected him to win somehow, but this was just crazy. The blonde tried not to smirk as he saw Sasuke's eyes wide with shock, which quickly turned to anger. Danzo's expression was stoic, but Naruto saw his eye twitch several times.

'Well done, kit, you've definitely got their attention now.'

Naruto looked at the proctor who was stunned speechless.

"This match is over, sir; he is not getting back up."

The proctor finally managed to get his legs to work and ran over to check on Kakashi.

"Do not worry, he is not permanently injured – merely unconscious," Naruto explained.

As the proctor checked the older shinobi, he found that the young man was correct; he found no real injuries on Kakashi. Still in shock, he rose back to his feet and raised his hand.

"The winner of the match…Naruto Namikaze!"

The crowd finally snapped out of their daze and began applauding.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Hell yeah, that's my Naruto!" Sakura shouted among the applause. Ino added in her own shouts of praise as well.

"Damn forehead, that was insane. He took down Kakashi in one blow!"

"I told you, Ino. Naruto is not the same shinobi everyone thinks they know; he's just getting started. I actually just noticed that Sasuke is boiling mad over next to Danzo; he definitely wasn't expecting this."

XXXXXXXXXX

Sure enough, Sasuke Uchiha was absolutely furious although his face was a stone mask.

'How the hell did that dobe do that? He took down Kakashi in under ten seconds. Plus, his Sharingan should've at least helped him see Naruto's attack. It isn't nearly as perfect as mine, but he should've at least been able to avoid it. I bet he let himself get hit just so the dobe could advance onto the next round.'

Danzo saw the young man next to him grinding his teeth in anger. That brat had just taken down one of the village's best shinobi in a matter of seconds; he was becoming too much of a thorn in his side. The old man suddenly had an idea about how he could use the young Uchiha even further to his advantage. He didn't give a damn about the young man, but his skills were useful for carrying out his orders.

"Sasuke…I have some news for you that I think you will like."

"What is it?" the Uchiha growled.

"I see that Naruto's actions have upset you, and I'm sure you wish to see how you would fair against him once again. Well…your request has been granted."

"What do you mean, Danzo?" The old man grinned evilly.

"You will be Naruto's next opponent."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed, and he looked down at his former teammate grinning like an idiot and waving at the crowd.

'Finally…that dobe will be put in his place.'

A rare smile crossed Sasuke Uchiha's face as he thought about how much he was going to humiliate that moron in front of everyone.

"I have no problem with that, but I warn you that I will not hold back against him."

"You may do whatever you wish, Sasuke," Danzo replied whiling smirking on the inside.

'If I'm fortunate enough, you'll kill him for me.'

XXXXXXXXXX

Author's Notes: Oh yeah. First battle out of the way. I'm sure you all saw this coming for a while now. It's gonna be a Naruto vs. Sasuke free for all, or will it? I'm gonna have a few twists in there so you guys don't get bored. Hope you've enjoyed it so far, and I'll do my best to update faster next time.


	12. Truths Revealed

Naruto returned to Gaara and the other sand-nin just as the morning session of the exams was concluding. Everyone was taking a break for lunch and to exchange pleasantries. Upon his arrival, the blonde was practically smothered by a black and pink blur. His mate wrapped her arms around him and jammed her tongue down his throat. Naruto growled and hungrily kissed her back until he saw the large audience that was watching them – Ino, Chouji, Hinata, Kiba, Shikamaru, Temari, Iruka, and Tsunade. Several of them were snickering at the couple's public display of affection.

"You two coming up for air sometime this year," Kiba laughed, and Hinata elbowed him slightly.

Naruto managed to peel himself away from Sakura's luscious mouth, and she nuzzled his neck.

"That was incredible, Naruto; I can't believe you took down Kakashi in one blow. How did you do that?" Ino nearly demanded with her eyes as big as saucers.

"Yes Naruto, I wish to hear this as well," Iruka piped up as he smiled brightly at his former student.

"Indeed, we all want to hear this," Tsunade said with a curious look in her eyes.

"All right, I guess I can explain, but it really wasn't anything that extraordinary. It just involved speed and precision," the blonde replied.

"Elaborate for us, Naruto, I'm actually quite curious myself," Shikamaru said with a smirk.

"Well…first I used my speed to get close to Kakashi and then aimed for my target. I focused my chakra into my fist and hit his chest just below where his sternum was located. Normally, that much chakra would shatter his chest bone and cause it to splinter thereby slashing his internal organs to pieces, but I wasn't trying to kill him."

Everyone winced at his description, and Sakura finally stepped back from him.

"What exactly did you do, baka?"

"Just after my fist impacted its target, I opened my palm thereby releasing some of pressure behind my chakra strike. That blast of wind you saw flow out behind him was an aftershock of my blow. Normally, all the power is concentrated into the one area, but by opening my fist, it was focused over a much wider area. By aiming just below his sternum at the correct angle, the pressure from my attack compressed his lungs and forced all the oxygen out of them. I literally knocked the wind out of him – no pun intended. The shock to his nervous system caused his body to freeze up and collapse. Of course, I didn't hit him at full strength so it merely caused him to lapse into unconsciousness; I have no reason to kill him."

Everyone's eyes were wide in shock as he finished his explanation – including Sakura.

"Naruto…I can't believe you have that much control over your chakra!" Iruka said with a proud smile.

Tsunade walked up to him and grabbed his head under her arm.

"You brat, you've been holding out on me haven't you?" she teased.

"Hey…let me go, baa-chan!" Naruto groaned and pushed her away from him. Tsunade grinned widely; she was proud of him as well.

"Your skills are amazing, Naruto-kun," Hinata said with a warm smile.

"Nah…you're much better than me, Hinata," he replied with a wink, and the young woman blushed slightly.

Gaara stood near his best friend merely observing everyone else. He didn't need to say a word regarding Naruto's performance; he knew just how strong the shinobi had become. If he dared to show the council and everyone else his true strength, they would all be pissing in their pants.

"So baa-chan, who's the next opponent you have for me?"

Tsunade's smile disappeared, and she looked at him seriously.

"Danzo has already acted, Naruto. He's changed my original selection for your next opponent; I had picked Neji to be your next match. However, the council overrode my choice and picked someone else."

"Who?" Sakura interrupted just before Naruto was about to ask the same question.

"Sasuke Uchiha," the Hokage said flatly.

Everyone gasped slightly, and her apprentice looked very angry.

"That's ridiculous! They can't just-"

"Good," Naruto interrupted, and Sakura gawked at him.

"Hey blondie, what do you mean by that?" Ino asked.

"The only way this would have happened is if Sasuke agreed to it. If he wants to fight me so badly, I'll give him exactly what he wants – both him and Danzo. They want to see me beaten so badly; they can go ahead and try."

The group of shinobi suddenly felt a cold wind whip around them making them all shiver, but their eyes widened as they felt Naruto's wind power roar to the surface. The currents of air howled darkly mirroring the hard line of the blonde's face. They died down abruptly as Sakura placed her hand on his arm.

"Naruto…are you sure you want to do this?" she asked with a serious look in her eyes.

"Yes Sakura-chan…I am. Not only has Sasuke chosen to align himself with the worst possible scum, but he insulted you twice. I'm not about to let him do that and get away with it."

"What happened, Sakura?" Tsunade asked sternly.

"When I told him that we wouldn't work out, he called me a slut…twice."

Every female in the group suddenly had a massive killing intent coming off them – even the demure Hinata.

'Oh hell no, Naruto's going to rip him a new one for doing that,' Kiba said mentally.

'I thought the Uchiha was smarter than that, but I guess he is planning to make Naruto so emotional that he is off balance,' Shikamaru calculated in his head.

"Baa-chan…I know that this is meant to be a friendly competition, but I won't make any promises when it comes to my fight with Sasuke. He insulted my mate, and I am not going to let him get away with that."

"I understand, Naruto – just don't blow up the stadium," Tsunade replied with a grin.

Everyone had a good chuckle at that one.

"So forehead…are you two finally going to explain everything to us?" Ino prodded.

"Like what?" the pinkette answered innocently.

"Oh…like maybe why Naruto just called you his mate?"

Sakura smiled widely and looked at her beloved with warm eyes.

"All right, I guess we might as well tell them, baka, but why don't we do it over lunch? If I know your stomach, it will-"

Naruto's midsection growled loudly making everyone laugh again.

"I was going to say make its presence known," Sakura finished.

"I can't help it; I'm always hungry after I fight," the blonde defended.

"Come on, guys, let's go grab some food before Naruto starts wilting over there," Tsunade said with a wide smile.

"Baa-chan…that's harsh!"

"And we are going some place that doesn't serve ramen!" the Hokage hissed at him.

Naruto pouted for a minute, but he relented after Sakura laid a kiss on his cheek. Taking her hand, he followed his friends out of the stadium for a much needed meal.

XXXXXXXXXX

A short time later, the group of friends were sitting in a small restaurant near the stadium. Tsunade picked the place since it had a private room they could use, and the proprietors were more than happy to accommodate the Hokage and her party.

Everyone was surprised to see Naruto actually eat something other ramen for a change. Ino shot Sakura a questioning look, and her friend just winked at her.

"Alright Naruto, spill it, what the hell happened to you?" Kiba inquired fiercely.

The blonde shinobi closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them again, everyone drew back from him slightly; his eyes were glowing crimson red. His hands moving like lightning, Naruto quickly put a barrier around their room so no one could spy on their conversation. He knew that Danzo was going to have him followed.

Once he was certain that his surroundings were secure, Naruto moved on to his next demonstration. His friends stood dumbstruck as they saw nine tails of red chakra erupt from behind him.

"Naruto, stop!" Shikamaru nearly stuttered; he was beginning to sweat profusely.

"Do not worry, everything is fine," Gaara said flatly.

"Are you crazy?" Kiba nearly shouted, "The Kyuubi is trying to break out of Naruto's seal!"

"No, he is not," the Kazekage replied.

"What are you talking about? Don't you see those chakra tails; he is going to kill us all!"

"Everyone…calm down," the Hokage ordered.

Most of the shinobi present looked at her like she'd lost her mind only to find her smirking widely.

"Let Naruto explain. You're going to be quite surprised."

"Look guys…Kyuubi is not going to hurt any of you. Second, I don't have my seal anymore."

Naruto stood up from his chair, and red chakra enveloped his body. After a few seconds, it separated from his form and began to take shape next to him. Kyuubi's fox form materialized making nearly everyone's jaw drop.

"Guys…I'm sure you know who this is," Naruto said trying not to grin.

"He's…he's…the Kyuubi no Kitsune," Hinata managed to croak out. Everyone looked at her stunned that she'd actually spoken first.

"Indeed, I am, young lady, and you are Hinata Hyuuga," he replied with a toothy grin.

"H-h-hai," the dark-haired beauty replied softly, and Kiba moved closer to his girlfriend to protect her.

"No need to feel threatened, boy; I do not wish to harm your mate," Kyuubi stated, and the description of Hinata made Kiba blush.

"How do you know her name?" he growled at the fox. The nine-tailed beast chuckled slightly.

"The kit and I share our experiences and memories. Everyone he's ever met or known I am aware of. Of course, he could block that information from me if he chose to, but the kit also trusts me – as I trust him."

"Why are you here?" Ino tried not to demand.

"You wished for an explanation did you not, Ino Yamanaka?"

"Kyuubi is a part of me, Ino," Naruto interrupted.

"He's what!" his friends all gasped.

Sakura just chuckled, and the explanation began.

XXXXXXXXXX

Naruto spent nearly an hour telling his friends everything. He told them the truth about what happened twenty years, the supposed attack from the Kyuubi, and what Danzo and Madara Uchiha had done. Sakura cut in at times to explain why she had gone after him, and how she had traveled to the Kyuubi's home dimension with Naruto to meet the fox's mate. Their friends just sat there in stunned shock as they listened to the fantastic story – even Shikamaru. The only ones who weren't surprised were Gaara, Temari, and Tsunade since they had heard this before.

When got to the point of talking about Kyoko, Sakura figured that she might as well tell them everything – including their merger.

"Shishou, when Naruto and I told you this yesterday, I left something very important out."

'Sakura, are you sure you want to do this?' Kyoko asked her.

'Yes, they deserve to know. If Naruto is telling them about Kyuubi, they should know about you as well.'

"This didn't have anything to do with that letter you left me, did it?" Tsunade asked accusingly. Surprisingly, she saw her apprentice shake her head.

"No shishou, this applies to Kyuubi's mate…Kyoko."

"What about her?" the Hokage asked.

"Sakura-chan…are you sure about this?"

"Yes Naruto, they should know about me too."

"Know what about you?" Ino asked staring worriedly at her friend.

Sakura closed her eyes and opened them again just as Naruto had. However, her eyes had changed from their normal, emerald green to deep violet. Eight tails of violet chakra erupted from behind her, and her friends nearly fell out of their chairs.

"Sakura…what the hell did you do?"

"Quiet Ino-pig, let me finish," the pinkette hissed.

The violet chakra separated itself from Sakura's body and took form next to her. It was a fox nearly the same size as Kyuubi except that she had eight tails and violet fur.

"Hello…my name is Kyoko," the vixen stated.

"What the hell is going on here?" Tsunade demanded and slammed her palm down on the table.

Naruto couldn't help it and burst out laughing; he knew she was gonna explode when she saw this.

"Baa-chan, that is Kyoko – Kyuubi's mate."

"Why is she here though…and why is she with Sakura?" Ino asked as she regained her bearings.

"Ino…just as Kyuubi is a part of Naruto…Kyoko is a part of me."

"Are you kidding?" the blonde gasped.

"No, I'm not. When I saw how the people of our village caused Kyoko to be separated from mate for so long, I wanted to try and fix it. Kyuubi cannot return to his home realm since he has been a part of Naruto for so long. Fox spirits can only be summoned to the human realm, and they cannot stay indefinitely unless they have something to anchor them here. Since Kyuubi was sealed inside Naruto for so long, he could not return home anymore; he could not sustain his physical form for long periods of time. As a result, Naruto allowed him to remain as a part of himself so Kyuubi could continue to live. Kyuubi's chakra system has completely merged with Naruto's – just as mine has merged with Kyoko's. However, the process will not work unless the two trust each other wholeheartedly. It was the only thing I could to try and repair the damage that our village has done to her and her mate."

"Sakura…I would never have approved you doing this," Tsunade said firmly but stopped her apprentice when the younger woman tried to respond.

"However, I will not chastise for what you did either. As you said, our village owed a debt to both of these two; I am just glad it was you two that they befriended."

"Thank you, shishou," Sakura said with a bright smile.

"Everyone…listen carefully, neither Sakura nor I have told anyone about this completely – not even her parents. They know that the two of us are serious about each other, but we haven't told them every detail yet. What we've said here today cannot go beyond this room – is that understood?" Naruto said with a firm stare across the room.

All of his friends gave a firm nod.

"Don't forget that other thing, Sakura. You know…about the letter you gave me," Tsunade teased, and the pinkette blushed.

"Right. There is one other thing about Naruto and I. While we were in Suna, we…that is…we took care of something before we came back here. We didn't want anyone else to interfere with it."

"And what is that, forehead," Ino prodded now very interested.

"They got married," the Hokage interrupted, and bedlam broke out.

"You're married!" they all blurted out at the same thing.

Naruto and Sakura just look at each other and started laughing. They really wasn't anything they could say about this. Kyoko let out a chuckle as well before she disappeared back inside Sakura's body.

"Hey…we just did the legal part, okay? We didn't have the ceremony yet," Naruto growled making everyone quiet down slightly.

"Naruto is correct. We wanted our friends and family to be at our wedding, but we were afraid that the council or other factors would force us apart when we came back here. We wanted this to be in place before Naruto came back to Konoha."

"That sounds very reasonable," Hinata said with a nod of her head.

"The other reason is because of Naruto's real identity," Sakura continued.

"She means that I found out who my parents were, guys."

"That's wonderful, Naruto, who were they?" Hinata said happily. She knew how happy that would've made him.

"My mother's name was Kushina Uzumaki; she was a kunoichi from whirlpool country. My father is someone you all probably heard about – Minato Namikaze."

"Namikaze…that name does sound familiar," Kiba said while scratching his chin.

"It was the Fourth Hokage," Shikamaru said flatly.

"Oh yeah, the fourth Hokage…the FOURTH HOKAGE!" the Inazuka gasped.

"Hmph, I should've figured it out sooner; you look almost exactly like him now, Naruto," the shadow master snickered.

"Your dad was the fourth Hokage, Naruto," Ino said with wide eyes.

"Yes, he was. You also know him as the Yellow Flash of Konoha – master of the Hiraishin."

Naruto stared at his friends, and he wondered if maybe this was all too much information for them to handle.

"Hey guys…look…I didn't want to freak everybody out. I'm still the same Naruto so don't think I'm suddenly a totally different person."

"He's right. Lineage aside…Naruto is still Naruto. He's still the same loudmouth baka we all know and love," Sakura said with a wide smile.

"Sakura-chan…that was mean," he pouted, and that made everybody laugh.

His cherry blossom wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him close.

"Remember Naruto…you're my loudmouth baka," and she kissed him long and hard.

The young shinobi crushed his mate against his chest and kissed her hungrily. He ignored the catcalls and whistles coming from his friends. At the moment, the only thing that existed for him was his beloved cherry blossom.

'Kyuubi, do you ever feel like you're the luckiest guy in the world?'

'Yes kit, I do, every time I see Kyoko,' his resident replied.

'I know exactly what you mean,' Naruto answered as he continued enjoying the exotic wonder that was Sakura Haruno Namikaze.

XXXXXXXXXX

Author's Notes: Okay guys, little filler chapter here, but next time, we go back to the stadium for what you've all been waiting for. Yup…next time, it's gonna be Sasuke vs. Naruto. It's not gonna be pretty.


	13. Battle Begins

The Chuunin stadium in Konoha had nearly refilled as the midday break had come to an end. Everyone was back in their seats, and Naruto rejoined the sand-nin on the upper balcony. Tsunade returned to her own balcony and was surprised to see her old friend waiting for her.

"It's about time you got here, Jiraiya," she muttered at seeing her fellow Sannin.

"Oh Tsunade…don't be mean. I came a long way to be here today; I hear my apprentice is participating this year and wanted to see him."

"Well you already missed his first match. He took down Kakashi earlier this morning."

"Kakashi? My…my…so the boy has really improved. I bet that was a great fight to watch."

"It would have been except Naruto took him down in under ten seconds," the Hokage said with a slight smirk.

Now, the old pervert was really interested.

"Ten seconds, you say? I wonder what kind of training he's been doing since he left that could make him improve so much. So…who did you pick for his next opponent?"

"I originally picked Neji, but the council overrode my decision. Or more precisely, Danzo – along with Homura and Sotaru I imagine – forced the council to change it."

"Who did they pick?" Jiraiya asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Sasuke Uchiha," Tsunade answered flatly.

"Hmm…then this is going to be a very interesting day. This must be another one of fate's little ironies that those two would be fighting today. More importantly, I think those two want to finish this fight once and for all."

"Naruto told me that he wanted to fight Sasuke, but I made him promise not to blow up the stadium. Those two could wreak havoc if their fight became upscale enough."

"I don't think Naruto would allow it to get to that point. He always has a few tricks up his sleeve. I taught him everything he knows," Jiraiya said with an arrogant smile.

"I'm sure…like how to be a master pervert. Thank God he's head over heels for Sakura, or I'd have to worry about him along with you."

"Awww…how sweet of you, Tsunade. I had no idea you worried about me so much," he teased and leaned closer to her.

"The hell I do! I'm merely protecting the young women of this village from being scarred for life by you spying on them bathing."

"You wound me, Tsunade; I'm merely conducting research for my books. Do you have suggestions where I might do that? I hear they just opened a new bathhouse recently; I think I should pay it a visit – make sure it has nice viewpoints," the old man said with a perverted smile.

"Over my dead body!" the Hokage growled and yanked on his long, white hair. Jiraiya leaned even closer and deliberately invaded her personal space.

"Don't say that, hime, I prefer your body alive and well," and his eyes trailed down her form. He blatantly stopped at her large breasts and leered happily.

"Knock it off," she growled and punched him into the side wall.

Jiraiya picked himself up and brushed off his clothes.

"No matter how far I travel, you're still the best, Tsunade."

"What do you mean by that?"

"You've still got the best right cross I've ever seen, and you've still got the best rack I've ever laid my eyes on. Too bad you won't let me get to know them better," he nearly pouted.

Tsunade should've been irate, but she almost laughed at the downtrodden look on his face. Only Jiraiya would be ridiculously depressed because he'd never seen her breasts.

"Oh, stop moping over there and pull up a chair. Naruto's match is next, and I know you'll want to see it."

"Alright, you win, hime," the frog hermit grumbled and sat down next to her.

"By the way, Jiraiya…" she trailed off, and he looked at her with slight frown on his face.

"…if you behave yourself, I'll consider changing how familiar you are with me."

The old man's eyes lit up like a Christmas tree, and his frown immediately turned to a full smile.

"Really?" he gulped while trying not to drool.

"Yes. But remember, I said that I would consider it only. Don't get ahead of yourself; you have a long ways to go yet before I consider it."

"Name it, hime, and it's yours. You know I'm your personal slave," he nearly purred.

"Watch it, you old pervert, you're gonna make me change my mind," she teased right back.

The two old friends laughed together, and Tsunade pulled out a sake bottle from her robes.

"Where did you get that? I thought alcohol wasn't allowed in here," Jiraiya stated.

"I swiped it from the restaurant I had lunch at," the Hokage replied.

"Tsunade, you stole it!"

"Of course not. I left the money for it on the counter. Besides, I'm the Hokage. Who the hell's gonna take it from me?" and she pulled out two small saucers.

"I do so love the way your mind works, hime," Jiraiya laughed as he took one of the saucers from her. She didn't answer him - merely chugged down the alcohol and refilled her cup as she waited for the next match to begin.

XXXXXXXXXX

Naruto took a deep breath as he waited for his match to begin. He stood just outside one of the entrances to the arena; he knew Sasuke was waiting on the opposite side. The blonde calmed himself and focused his mind; he was not going to be acting like an idiot in this fight. A lot of people were used to seeing almost a playful Naruto when he fought because he enjoyed competition. However, this was about more than just enjoying himself; he owed Sasuke for insulting his mate. He had said goodbye to Sakura a few minutes ago, and she had given him a long, hard kiss that made his head spin.

"Alright, let's get this show on the road."

Naruto heard the proctor call his name, and he stepped out into the light. He could hear the roar of the crowd as he walked towards the center of the arena. He saw Sasuke waiting for him with his trademark blank expression. Naruto advanced towards his opponent; his own expression hard as stone.

XXXXXXXXXX

The proctor stepped between the two opponents, and he could see the anger festering between the two of them.

"We will now commence the next match – Sasuke Uchiha vs. Naruto Namikaze. Are you two ready?"

"Sir, before we begin…" Naruto trailed off.

"Is there a problem?"

"No sir, but I suggest you leave the battlefield and join the crowd."

"What are you talking about?"

Naruto turned to face the proctor, and the jounin gulped as he saw the fire in the young man's eyes.

"I do not wish for you to be harmed during this fight, sir. It would be better if you were not on this battlefield. You will see that Sakura Haruno is standing over by the first row of seats. Please join her."

"What are you doing, dobe?" Sasuke growled.

"Making sure there aren't any innocent victims in our fight, teme."

The proctor glanced up at the Hokage, and she nodded her head to Naruto's suggestion. The jounin made his way over to where Sakura was standing and jumped over the barricage around the battlefield area.

"Alright, young lady, what is going on here?" the proctor nearly demanded.

"Nothing sir. Naruto merely did not want any innocents hurt during this fight."

While waiting for the match to start, Sakura had placed seals up and down the barricade. Kyoko had shown how to do this and explained what it was used for. The pinkette affixed the last seal in place, and a wall of chakra shot up in front of the crowd forming a barrier.

"Now, no one will be hurt by accident, sir."

The proctor didn't know why she had done this, but since the Hokage approved it, he wasn't going to make a fuss about it. Looking at the two shinobi waiting for his word, he raised his hand above his head.

"Let the match…begin!" he shouted.

XXXXXXXXXX

Sasuke and Naruto didn't move. They merely stared at each other with hard expressions on their faces. The two former teammates glared at one another trying to read any of their opponent's actions.

"So dobe, it's finally time for me to put you in your place; you've been pampered by the Hokage and that old pervert for way too long. It's time that you learned that you are nothing compared to an Uchiha. You even had to use a fake name to enter this competition."

Naruto smirked inwardly but did not say a word. So, Sasuke didn't know about his lineage; he would enjoy enlightening him – but not just yet.

"Why did you have your pink-haired whore put up that silly barrier?"

Naruto's eyes narrowed dangerously, but he would not lose his concentration. He knew that Sasuke was trying to manipulate his emotions, but he was going to show everyone here today exactly what he could do.

"I know you wouldn't be satisfied with just a match of taijustu, Sasuke. This way, we won't hurt the people watching while we fight. Let's finish what we started at the Valley of the End."

"Don't you remember, dobe? I beat you that time, and I will beat you again today."

"Sasuke…you know the truth is that neither one of us won that fight; it was draw. That's why you can't stand talking about."

"You seem to forget, dobe; you were left lying unconscious on the ground."

"And you seem to forget I had to help my team fight through a squad of Orochimaru's minions before I even got you. I'm not saying it wasn't a fair fight, but don't think for one second you're better than me. If you want to try and put me in my place, Sasuke, stop whining like a petulant child and come get me!" the blonde challenged.

XXXXXXXXXX

The Uchiha charged at him with almost blinding speed. Sasuke had activated his Sharingan to read Naruto's movements so he could attack his weak points. Just before his fist connected with the side of the blonde's head, Naruto's hand shot up and caught his strike.

"Nice try, Sasuke."

The Uchiha growled and commenced a barrage of hand and leg strikes, but Naruto countered them all. He didn't attack Sasuke merely parried his onslaught. This continued from one end of the arena to the other as the two shinobi clashed together.

Sasuke eventually jumped back and flashed through a series of hand signs. Naruto recognized the configuration and raised his hands. Concentrating his wind element into his hands, two blades of solid chakra ignited in his palms. You could hear the screeching from the blades as the compressed wind chakra shrieked angrily.

"You're so stupid, dobe. Wind element won't help you against this – Fire Element: Flame Burst!"

Cupping his hands in front of his mouth, Sasuke shot a stream of fire aimed directly for Naruto. The fire spread out dramatically into a nearly ten foot wide wall of flame storming towards the young shinobi.

XXXXXXXXXX

Up in the stands, people watched in awe as the technique was unleashed.

"Is Sasuke crazy? He's gonna kill him!" Ino gasped.

"I don't think so, Ino. Trust me, Naruto knows what he's doing," Sakura stated from her seat next to her.

XXXXXXXXXX

Naruto waited until the approaching flames were exactly where he wanted them before he began his plan of attack. Increasing the intensity of the blades in his hand, he waited until the screech reached a certain pitch, and he knew he was ready.

"Wind Element: Sonic Blades Scream!"

Naruto reared back and flung the two blades directly at the incoming fire attack. Sasuke nearly grinned at his opponent's actions because he knew that wind element could not beat fire element – at least not usually.

The two attacks collided, and an unearthly scream shattered across the stadium making everyone cover their ears. Sasuke Uchiha watched in horror as the wind blades ripped through the wall of fire and blasted him head on. He was thrown clear across the arena and slammed into the far wall. The shockwave from the collision shook the entire battleground, and the crowd was stunned speechless.

XXXXXXXXXX

Up on the balcony where Gaara was standing, his sister and Shikamaru were observing this match with wide eyes.

"Damn…what the hell was that? I'm a master of wind, and I've never seen a fire jutsu defeated like that," Temari gasped.

"I'm not to sure myself; that should not have happened. The fire should have gotten stronger from the wind. How did Naruto do that?" Shikamaru stated with a shake of his head.

XXXXXXXXXX

Naruto stared at the aftermatch of his counterattack and saw Sasuke lying face down on the ground. He calmly walked across the field but remained on his guard.

"Get up, Sasuke, I know that didn't hurt you badly enough to stop you."

Sure enough, the Uchiha easily stood back up to his feet, but his face was a mask of anger.

"How the hell did you break that jutsu? Wind element does not defeat fire element."

Naruto smirked at his opponent's frustration and figured he might as well explain.

"You are correct, Sasuke. Normally, wind element would only strengthen fire element. Unless, of course, the wind is traveling at a certain velocity."

"Stop speaking nonsense, dobe. Answer the damn question!"

"Have you ever seen a shockwave blow out a fire or cut through a river to make a path. When wind reaches a certain speed, it can cut through virtually anything. Once it reaches critical velocity, it passes the speed of sound, and a shockwave known as a sonic boom is created. You recall seeing similar things when large chakra attacks are used; the shockwaves from the attacks destroyed rocks or cut through trees. All I did was focus my wind chakra into a compressed state and built up its speed. Where do think that screeching noise was coming from? Haven't you ever heard the wind howling before? Once the wind in my blades reached the speed I needed, it was only a matter of aiming them correctly and releasing them. When they impacted with your flame attack, yes, the wind did help strengthen the fire, but the shockwaves released from the compressed chakra being unleashed easily blew out your jutsu, and the remnants blasted you into that wall over there. That good enough of an answer for you, teme!" Naruto shouted.

Sasuke was speechless; he couldn't believe what he just heard. The scary part was that everything Naruto had just said made perfect sense.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Hot damn, did you see Naruto just now? That attack was awesome," Ino said with a happy smile.

"I understand what he is talking about," Chouji said with a nod of his head.

"You do?" his girlfriend ask in surprise.

"Yes. Remember when we first saw Naruto use his Rasen-Shuriken. After the impact of his attack, there was a massive shockwave that nearly blew us all way."

"You're right. I'd never felt anything like that."

"Neither have I. And also, when he was gathering chakra for the technique, did you see the wind flowing around him. Did you see how it cut through some of the rocks? That was due to the speed and intensity of the wind chakra he was gathering. Naruto has discovered a very unique way of countering attacks; it should not be possible though."

"That's what he does though," Sakura cut in with a wide grin, "he makes the impossible possible."

XXXXXXXXXX

"So you learned a new trick, Naruto; that won't save you from my Sharingan's power."

"You rely too much on your precious eyes, Sasuke, and it is your greatest weakness."

That made the Uchiha mad, and he raised his Sharigan to its third level.

'Just wait, dobe, I'm going to destroy you from the inside out.'

Chakra pulsing from his eyes, Sasuke unleashed his next attack. Naruto suddenly saw his surroundings change, and everyone disappeared. He felt very cold and somewhat depressed.

'Genjustu. I knew he would do this,' the blonde thought silently.

The scenery around him was pitch black until something flashed in front of him. It was the sight of Sasuke on a large bed with Sakura bent over in front of him. He was thrusting into her from behind, and the pinkette was screaming in pleasure.

"That's right, my little bitch, this is your favorite position isn't?" Sasuke growled as he fucked her harder.

"Yes, it's my favorite; I love it," the Sakura in front of Naruto moaned.

"Nice try, teme, but it's not going to work!"

The blond shinobi did not even hesitate. Forming two wind blades in hands, he walked up to the couple and cut them in half. The illusion disappated, and Naruto was left in darkness again.

XXXXXXXXXX

Sasuke was agitated. He was certain that image of him fucking Sakura would drive Naruto crazy with anger. He decided to change tactics and peered deeper into Naruto's mind. Suddenly, a hand reached out and wrapped around his throat from behind. Managing to turn his head enough to see his attacker, the Uchiha was astounded to see a pair of familiar, blue eyes.

"Naruto…how…how did you find me?"

"You forget, Sasuke, this is my mind you're in right now. That makes finding you a piece of cake."

"Impossible! My sharingan parylyzes your mind and submits you to my will; nothing can withstand it!"

"Your arrogance is another weakness you have, Sasuke; sharingan is not an all powerful technique. The basis of how sharingan works is its genjustu mastery. The core of genjustu is using your willpower and chakra to make an opponent see what you want them to see. However, if your opponent has a fighting spirit and will as strong or more powerful than your own, the genjutsu will not form properly, and you will be at the mercy of your opponent's mind. Here's a small taste of that!"

Naruto squeezed his hand tighter around Sasuke's throat, and the young man started gagging.

Back in the real world, the two shinobi looked to be staring at each other. That is, until Sasuke appeared to start being choked by an invisible hand.

"What is going on with Sasuke?" Kiba asked dumbfounded.

"I can sense a genjutsu on the battlefield, but it carries the chakra markers of the Sharingan. I don't know why Sasuke is the one who is in pain," Hinata answered as her Byakugan surveryed the scene.

XXXXXXXXXX

Even Danzo was rather stumped as he observed the odd exchange. He knew that the Uchiha had locked the Kyuubi brat in his genjutsu, but the blonde should be the one writhing in pain.

'What the hell is going here?' he growled silently.

He could hear the Root-nin around him muttering as well. They were all wondering just what was happening down there.

XXXXXXXXXX

Naruto looked up at his prey with deadly eyes. He could probably kill him like this, but the victory would be hollow to him. He didn't want to beat Sasuke just in his own mind; he wanted to beat him for real. Quickly pinning his opponent to the ground, Naruto pressed his advantage and drilled two of his fingers directly into Sasuke's eyes.

The screamed that shook that place did not sound human!

XXXXXXXXXX

The real Sasuke's hands shot up to his eyes, and he collapsed to the ground screaming in agony. His sharingan instinctively deactivated bringing both combatants back to reality.

After several minutes, Sasuke managed to reopen his eyes and saw Naruto standing over him impassively. He immediately got back to his feet; rage burning in his eyes.

"You bastard, how dare you do that to me?" he hissed.

"What's wrong, Sasuke? Can't handle a taste of your own medicine? You never expected me to have the fighting spirit or will to break your genjutsu, did you?"

"Who the hell are you," the Uchiha shouted.

"I am the same Naruto you have always known; I merely know who I am now. My full name is Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze; I am the son of Kushina Uzumaki and Minato Namikaze."

Sasuke's eyes widened in shock as the last name reverberated in his mind; he knew that name. He could hear gasps coming from the crowd as they recognized the name as well.

"Yes, Sasuke, it is just as you realize…" Naruto trailed off as he turned to look at the crowd.

He saw most of the people – including the council – staring at him impatiently. He saw Sakura with a quiet smile on her face, and his friends looking at him with utter surprise. He saw Tsunade smiling proudly at him along with Jiraiya. Reaching the last person he wanted to look at, Naruto stared Danzo directly in the eye.

"…I am the son of the fourth Hokage!" he shouted for all to hear.

XXXXXXXXXX

Author's Notes: Well guys, slight pause here. I know some of you wanted me to have Naruto simply decimate Sasuke, but I decided to try and make it more where Naruto has to counter what Sasuke throws at him – beat him at his own game. Next time, we'll finish the fight, and I think you'll like the ideas I've come up with for it.


	14. Cursed Seal vs Rasenshuriken

"His father is the fourth Hokage; that's crazy!" Ino gasped.

"It is just as he says, Ino-pig; Naruto's father was the Yellow Flash of Konoha," Sakura said with a proud smile.

The pinkette looked at her parents and saw the shock on their faces. They looked at her, and she winked at them slyly. They understood she had already known about this before now. She caught her mother's eye, and Sakura saw the last of her mother's doubt about Naruto disappear.

XXXXXXXXXX

"I can't believe I didn't see it before. That blockhead looks exactly like the fourth Hokage," Shikamaru groaned with a shake of his head.

Temari was about to responde when Gaara cut her off.

"No one in Konoha wanted to look at Naruto as anything more than a container for a demon; that's all he was to people. When all people think about is fear and hatred, they limit themselves to what can truly be seen. Both Naruto and I understand this. I am fortunate that my own people have seen past me being the container for Shukaku, but it is time that Konoha see Naruto for who he really is."

Both the sand-nin and leaf-nin around him stared at the Kazekage; he rarely if ever spoke so many words and with such strength of conviction. Temari gave his shoulder an affectionate squeeze and looked down at the battlefield.

'Alright blondie, you've got everyone's attention; now, show them what you can do.'

XXXXXXXXXX

"What's the matter, Sasuke? Can't handle the truth when it's staring you straight in the face?" Naruto growled.

The Uchiha glared at his opponent and decided that he didn't care who Naruto was; he was still going to beat him. Not only would he defeat the dobe, he would defeat the son of a Hokage, and his standing in the village would be that much higher. A smirk crossing his face, Sasuke unleashed his greatest weapon and opened the cursed seal which Orochimaru had put on him so many years ago.

Naruto saw the black blotches appear on Sasuke's left side and knew what he was doing.

"Teme, don't do it! You'll cause yourself more harm," the blonde stated.

"Shut up, dobe, I'm going to beat you the same way I did last time."

The dark marks continued to cover the young man's body. His skin turned gray, and his eyes turned to solid black with golden pupils in the middle. Two large grotesque wings erupted from his back, and he could hear the gasp from the onlookers as they saw his transformed state. Not giving a damn what they thought about how he looked, Sasuke looked at Naruto with an aura of pride about him.

"You have improved, dobe, but I'm not the same as I was the last time we fought either. Let me show you some of my new tricks."

Sasuke drew out his long sword and jumped into the air. He soared up into the sky until he was at least several hundred feet above Naruto's head. Smirking slightly, he focused his chakra into his sword, and the steel crackled with electricity. Chidori was his deadliest technique, and he was focusing his attack by transferring it into his sword. This way, he could be far away from his target and still hit him with the attack.

Naruto stared up at his opponent and recognized the Chidori's light coming from Sasuke's sword.

"Alright teme, you wanna put do it all out there; then, let's do this. Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

Two shadow clones appeared at Naruto's side, and all three of them stared up at Sasuke.

"I've seen this before, dobe. Is that all you've got?" the Uchiha shouted.

Smirking widely, the real Naruto looked at the clones, and they all nodded their heads. Thrusting out his upturned palm, the blonde began channeling chakra, and the two clones moved closer to do their part as well.

XXXXXXXXXX

"I wonder what Naruto is going to attack with," Sakura wondered.

"Forehead, you mean you don't know?" Ino gasped. Both and Chouji were sweating slightly; they had seen this formation of clones from Naruto before and knew what it meant.

"No, I don't. What is it?" the pinkette replied.

"That's right. I forgot you never saw him battle that Akatsuki freak. If Naruto is doing what I think he's doing, it's a good thing you put that barrier up, or we'd all be annihilated by that attack. Chouji and I have only seen it once before, but it was the devastating attack we've ever seen."

"What did he use?" Sakura asked now very interested.

"Rasen-shuriken," Chouji answered for his girlfriend.

"How does it work?"

"Just shut-up, forehead, and watch. You'll see soon enough," Ino said with a slightly worried look on her face.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Dammit Naruto, you know you're not supposed to use that technique," Tsunade shouted as she slammed her first into the railing nearly shattering the wood banister.

"I've never seen him use this move before, but I would think that Naruto knows the risks when using it, hime," Jiraiya stated.

"That's not the point, you old pervert; he could rip his own arm to shreds by using it!"

"I say we trust Naruto to see this through to the end," a voice came from behind them.

The two Sannin turned to see Kakashi Hatake walking towards them.

"Hey Kakashi, how ya doing? I hear my apprentice gave you a serious beating earlier today," Jiraiya said with a wide grin.

"Indeed he did; I've never been hit like that in my entire life. I thought my organs were going to be blown clear out of my body by Naruto's attack. He could've killed me easily but had the control to only render me unconscious."

"What are you saying, Kakashi?" Tsunade asked with narrowed eyes.

"My point, Lady Hokage, is that if Naruto has attained that kind of control over his wind chakra Sasuke won't be able to touch him. I saw how the knucklehead cancelled out his first jutsu earlier. As you know, wind element should not able to defeat fire element. Naruto has discovered how to take the shape manipulation mastery he gained from learning the Rasengan and mold it into increasing the speed of his wind chakra to the point where it can cut through anything. If that's the case, it won't matter what element is thrown at him; he'll be able to cut threw it."

"That's sound impossible, Kakashi, but I can't deny what you're saying," Tsunade replied.

Jiraiya stared laughing, and the two shinobi looked at him with confusion.

"Why are you laughing, you old pervert?" the Hokage growled.

"I thought you two would've learned this by now. No matter what obstacle Naruto faces, he always finds a way to make the impossible possible; that's who he is. What I'm waiting to see if he learned to master his father's signature technique?"

"You don't mean…" Kakashi trailed off with a shocked look on his face.

"The Hiraishin!" Jiraiya said with a wicked gleam in his eye.

XXXXXXXXXX

Back down on the battefield, Naruto continued focusing his chakra. A familiar screech was heard as his wind chakra was compressed and molded to what he wanted.

Sasuke stared down at him from above and wondered what the hell he was doing. It didn't matter what tricks the dobe tried to pull; he would still lose. His chakra fully gathered in his sword, Sasuke prepared to unleash his attack when he felt himself caught in what felt like a tornado. Looking down, his eyes widened in horror at what Naruto was holding in his hand.

"Wind element…RASEN-SHURIKEN!" the blonde shouted as the mighty blades swirled in his hand.

XXXXXXXXXX

"I'm still not clear why Naruto is using that technique since Sasuke is airborne," Kakashi said with a shake of his head.

"Why is that?" Tsunade asked.

"Because…Naruto has to make physical contact with his target to launch the attack; he can't reach Sasuke from on the ground."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Let's do this!" Naruto roared as he flung the deadly shuriken up into the sky.

"He threw it!" could be heard from virtually everyone in the stadium.

Sasuke's eyes widened in shock as he saw the attack heading straight for him, however, he saw one major flaw with Naruto's plan, and he was about to exploit it.

"Nice try, dobe, but you need to do better than this to outsmart me," he shouted and used his speed to dodge the swirling blades as they flew past him.

"It's my turn now, and you don't have a whole lot of space to dodge my attack," Sasuke growled and raised his sword to deliver his massive Chidori.

"Who said anything about dodging your attack, dobe?" Naruto shouted up at him. The blonde raised his hand to the sky and concentrated.

'Take him down, kit!' Kyuubi growled happily.

"Rasen-shuriken…break!"

The attack that had passed Sasuke up in the sky exploded violently and out of its epicenter sprung thousands of tiny, blue blades. They looked like small toothpicks, but they rained down from above Sasuke's head. He didn't turn his head until it was too late, and hundreds of them impacted on his back and wings. He screamed in pain as they sliced into his flesh, and the chakra in his sword dissappated as he lost concentration and dropped the kitana. The rest of the blades flew around Sasuke, but they dissipated just before reaching the height of the stadium.

Naruto was very pleased with himself. He had trained hard to gain mastery of his deadliest technique. He knew that Sasuke would avoid it; he wasn't planning to finish the Uchiha with that attack. He waited until he knew that no one in the stadium or around it would be harmed by the shockwave of blades before he broke the shuriken. Since Sasuke was several hundred feet above him, he was well within the target zone for the shower of wind blades.

Sasuke was trying to keep himself airborne, but the writhing pain in his body was preventing it, and he was dropping to the ground like a rock.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Okay…that was just fucking awesome!" Ino shouted in wonder.

"I second that one," Sakura said with her eyes as wide as plates.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Now, that's what I call unpredictable; Naruto never fails to live up to his reputation," Jiraiya said with a laugh.

"I wonder what his next move will be now that he has disabled Sasuke's attack," Kakashi stated.

XXXXXXXXXX

Indeed, Naruto was ready to deliver his finishing blow or better yet…blows.

"Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu!" he shouted and twenty-five Narutos appeared on the ground.

The original and clones paired up and soon there was a flurry of Rasengans swirling in their hands. Sasuke was continuing to fall rapidly, but he was starting to shut out the pain of his injuries. Naruto wasn't going to give him the chance to recover his wits though.

"Alright everyone, let's show them what a Namikaze can do!"

"Yeah!" all the clones shouted as one and readied their individual Rasengans.

"NA…MI…KA…ZE……RASENGAN BARRAGE!!!!"

Fourteen of the Narutos – including the original disappeared out of thin air. They reappeared high in the sky exactly where Sasuke was, and they carried out their tasks. The Uchiha's eyes widened with fear as he saw the Narutos appear out of nowhere holding Rasengans aimed at him. One after the other, each Naruto slammed their Rasengan into Sasuke's body. He looked like a human pinball as he bounced back and forth between each one.

Just before they reached the ground, the last Naruto above his head – which was the real Naruto – readied the final attack.

"It's over Sasuke…Rasengan!" and he smashed it into the Uchiha's abdomen just as they hit the ground.

The explosion shook the entire stadium, but the barrier Sakura set up earlier protected the crowd from harm. The walls around the battleground began to crack under the strain of the immense attack. A dust cloud covered the entire area making it impossible for anyone to see what happened to the combatants.

XXXXXXXXXX

After several minutes had passed, the dust began to settle down, and the crowd saw a single figure emerge from the cloud. It was Naruto. As the battleground became clear once again, everyone gasped as they saw a forty-foot wide crater and in the center was the body of Sasuke Uchiha. His body had reverted back to its normal state and appeared badly bruised along with numerous gashes on his back and shoulders. But, he was still alive.

Naruto calmly walked toward where the proctor was standing in stunned silence next to the barricade on the first row of seats.

"This match is finished, sir; you may now call it," the young shinobi said quietly.

The jounin had to be elbowed by one of the crowd before his brain began to work enough to realize Naruto was talking to him. Raising his hand into the air, he gave a decision of which he knew there was no doubt.

"The winner of this match…Naruto Namikaze!"

XXXXXXXXXX

The crowd made no movement as they were all too stunned to move. A few loud whistles and cheers could be heard coming from Sakura and the others, but that was it. Naruto hopped over the barrier and was nearly run over as Sakura collided with him nearly hugging the life out of him. He wrapped is powerful arms around her and kissed her hair. His battle senses flared up again as he felt danger surrounding them, and he saw about twenty shinobi appear on the walls of the stadium. Snapping his gaze up to quickly locate Danzo, he saw the old man glaring at him, and he directed his Root-nin towards the couple.

"Sakura-chan…I want you to let go and quietly moved back towards your parents," he said softly, and his mate didn't move as he spoke to her.

"Naruto…I want to stay here with you," she nearly whispered.

"I want to make sure your parents aren't harmed by this; please, go to them."

"Alright, but you better come back to me in one piece, fox," and she squeezed him again.

Naruto kissed her forehead, and Sakura leapt out of his arms. Turning his attention to shinobi who were quietly making their way towards him, Naruto readied himself when the crowd finally broke out of their stupor. Applause erupted from the stadium, and the shinobi approaching him froze. The blonde smirked; this gave just the opportunity he was looking for.

XXXXXXXXXX

"I can't believe Naruto did that; he is definitely my student," Jiraiya said happily while dancing around like a lunatic.

"You mean despite it," Tsunade groaned as she watched his idiotic display.

"Tsunade-sama, what about those shinobi approaching Naruto," Kakashi broke in.

The two sannin immediately became serious and followed the copy nin's line of sight. The shinobi were dressed differently than any Jounin or Anbu member.

"Danzo…he's trying to go after Naruto," Tsunade growled. She moved towards the door when Jiraiya grabbed her arm.

"Hold it, hime, the crowd just started applauding Naruto's fight, and those shinobi have stopped. The kid looks like he's about to say something so hold off on going after Danzo for a moment."

XXXXXXXXXX

Naruto smiled as he sawing the people cheering. Not of all of the council members were happy about the showcase of his talent, and a few looked rather angry at his defeat of Sasuke.

"Everyone…please calm!" he shouted over the cheers. Jumping back out on the battlefield, he shouted his order again, and the crowd began to calm down.

"I appreciate everyone's kindness and appreciation, but there is another reason why I am here today. I see that our entire village council is present today; I thank you for coming. I also wish to thank the heads of our clans for attending today; this is a most important occasion."

"Naruto…is it true what you said earlier?" the head of the Inazuka clan asked.

"I assume you are referring to what I said about my father, sir?"

At the man's nod, Naruto prepared to give his answer, but he was immediately stopped.

"Be silent, boy, do not speak another word?" Homura and Sotaru ordered at the same time.

"Why shouldn't I answer his question? Or are you afraid of the truth coming out?" Naruto replied with a look of raw determination. When no response came from the elders, he returned his gaze to the clan elder.

"Yes sir, my father was the Fourth Hokage – Minato Namikaze."

Gasps and murmurs went up around the audience again, and all of them waited to see what the young shinobi would say next.

"Why have you not told anyone about this?" the Inazuka elder asked again.

"Sir, I have only found about this recently. However, there are several others here today who have known about this since I was born, and they have kept it hidden from the general public."

"Why would they do that?"

Naruto turned to see who had asked that question as he saw Gai, Lee, Tenten, and Neji all standing together. Gai was the one who asked the question.

"My lineage was originally kept a secret because my father had many enemies – both here in Konoha and abroad. However, that is not the only thing that I wish to speak about. The time has come for the past of this village to be revealed; the lies stop here and now."

Naruto stared directly at Homura, Sotaru, and Danzo while he said this; they were trying to figure out what he was about to do.

"I believe it is time that everyone here know exactly what happened during the supposed Kyuubi attack eighteen years ago."

More gasps and murmurs circulated through the crowd, and the members of the council immediately stood to their feet.

"What are you implying, young man? Everyone here knows what happened back then and has no need to be reminded of what that monster did to this village," one of the civilian members shouted.

Naruto shook his head and murmured a silent apology to Kyuubi who was starting to seethe inside him.

"No sir, very few people know exactly what happened back then. In fact, before today, there are only three people in this audience who actually know the truth."

"Shut your mouth now, you brat!" Danzo shouted, but Naruto ignored him.

"Everyone in Konoha believes that Kyuubi destroyed our village back then, but…has anyone ever answered the question about how the Kyuubi suddenly appeared here that night. Has anyone ever asked that question?"

"What are you implying, Naruto?" this time it was Asuma who asked the question. He smiled at the older Jounin.

"Kyuubi did not randomly appear that night; he was summoned to Konoha!"

"Be silent!" Danzo roared and clenched his fists angrily.

"NO! THESE PEOPLE DESERVE TO KNOW WHO THE REAL MONSTER IS!" Naruto roared right back. When he saw no further opposition, he continued.

"No normal shinobi could summon Kyuubi; in fact, there is only one clan leader that had the chakra and control to summon the Kyuubi no Kitsune – Madara Uchiha. Now, many of you believe that he died in the battle with the First Hokage at the Valley of the End, but…was his body ever found at the battlefield? No, it wasn't. This leads toward why the Uchiha clan was slaughtered the night the Kyuubi attacked Konoha."

"Enough boy, you will shut your mouth right now, or I will have you arrested for treason!" Homura shouted.

"It's not treason to let people know the truth, and the truth is that the entire Kyuubi incident was orchestrated by a group of individuals who wanted total control of Konoha – and eventually the entire Fire Country. Madara Uchiha hated the rest of his clan because they diposed him as leader of their clan when he opposed the head of the Senju clan being named the First Hokage; he wanted his revenge against his clan. Plus, he wanted to prove that the views of the First Hokage and the Hokage who came after him were weak and unable to protect this village. That is where the second culprit of this madness came from."

"I have heard enough of your lies, brat," Danzo hissed and gestured to the shinobi on the walls.

They immediately surrounded Naruto and drew their weapons. Tsunade shouted at them to stand down, but they did not listen to her. Naruto narrowed his eyes at the Root-nin surrounding him and readied himself.

"I suggest you all back off unless you want to die today."

They did not respond – just charged at him.

"I gave you a chance," Naruto said sadly, and his power erupted.

Nine, red tails of chakra shot out of his body and impaled the advancing shinobi one by one. Within seconds, all twenty lay dead on the ground.

"What have you done?" Danzo growled, and Naruto stared calmly up at his true enemy.

"You want the Kyuubi's power so badly, old man – take a look at it."

A mighty roar sounded throughout the stadium as red chakra exploded from Naruto's body. A pillar of chakra at least ten feet across surrounded the young shinobi, and it shot straight up into the sky for several hundred feet.

The crowd was terrified as they saw the display of power, and the council began shaking in their sandals. Homura and Sotaru began sweating profusely, and even Danzo felt a chill go down his spine. Tsunade felt nervous as well as she saw the raw power on display before them.

XXXXXXXXXX

"That's an insane amout of chakra!" Shikamaru gasped in horror.

"Let's see what he does now," Temari said with a grin.

XXXXXXXXXX

Sakura stared at her mate with astonishment on her face; she'd never seen him use this much power before.

'Kyoko, is that really Kyuubi's true power? I've never felt anything like it.'

'Sakura, you haven't seen anything yet; they're both just warming up.'

XXXXXXXXXX

The red chakra slowly dimmed down until it was just Naruto's body that was surrounded by it, but the nine tails were still flapping behind him violently.

"You don't deserve this kind of power, Danzo. You are one of the ones responsible for destroying our village back then!"

"How dare you speak to me like that?" the old man said with a slight tremor in his voice.

"You hate to hear the truth. To all of you who believed that Kyuubi was destroyed; he was not as I have shown you all here today. However, the architects of this entire plot are Madara Uchiha, Danzo, and the elders of this village."

The civilian council members immediately looked at Sotaru and Homura for an answer, but they gave none.

"Allow me to answer the question that everyone is thinking about. You all blame the Kyuubi for that attack, however, he is not responsible for it. The Kyuubi no Kitsune has as much honor as any true shinobi; he does not attack unless he is provoked. Now, how does this all tie together you ask? Danzo was upset at the first Hokage because he put several members of the Uchiha into prominent positions in Konoha; positions that they had earned and were qualified for. Since Madara hated his clan for their betrayal of him, it gave them both an opportunity to gain what they wanted. Danzo wanted the Uchiha gone, and Madara wanted revenge on his clan. But…they both needed a way to wipe out the clan without causing anyone to suspect. What better way to wipe the blame from themselves than have the Kyuubi attack the village to distract everyone. So…Madara Uchiha summoned the Kyuubi to Konoha that night, Danzo had one of his Root-nin secretly attack the Kyuubi so it would head straight here and reek havoc trying to defend itself, and Itachi Uchiha would slaughter his own clan during the chaos."

Naruto took a breather to let his words sink in, and he saw shock on almost everyone's faces. Homura and Sotaru were sweating bullets as he mentioned Itachi's name, and Danzo had tried to sneak out only to be surrounded by Anbu members at Tsunade's command.

"Itachi Uchiha was used by Danzo and the elders. He was blackmailed into murdering his clan. He was told by Madara that the Kyuubi would be sent back to its world once the Uchiha clan was dead, but Madara lied to him. Even he could not send the Kyuubi away once it had been summoned; he did not have the power to do it; but he made Itachi believe that. The young man had to choose between his clan or the village, and you all know what option he chose. When the Kyuubi attacked Konoha, the Fourth Hokage sacrificed himself to stop him, but he could not destroy the kitsune. Instead, he sealed the nine tail fox inside a newborn baby; that baby was me. It cost my father his life, but he stopped the Kyuubi from wiping out the inhabitants of Konoha. Madara Uchiha disappeared after the incident, and Danzo allowed himself to be injured so there would no doubt of his innocence."

"This is utterly proposterous, boy, you have no proof of any of this!" Homura shouted angrily.

"Oh…but I do," and Naruto pulled out two scrolls from his jacket.

"These are reports by both the Third and Fourth Hokage confirming what I have just said."

Naruto disappeared and suddenly reappeared next to the head of the Hyuuga clan.

"Sir, I apologize for my abrupt appearance, but I would like you to verify these documents."

Hinata's father took the scrolls from Naruto and immediately recognized the seals of the Third and Fourth Hokage. Their seals could not be faked because they were deliberately infused with their owner's chakra. He even used his Byakugan to confirm this.

"This young man is telling the truth; these are from the Third and Fourth Hokage. I am proofreading through these, and everything Naruto has said is true."

"I've heard enough!" Danzo hissed and suddenly a hundred Root-nin appeared around the stadium. They took out the Anbu guarding him and took positions to stop anyone from leaving.

"You cannot hold us here, Danzo!" the elder Hyuuga said angrily.

"Oh…but I can, you pearl-eyed bastard. This information will never leave here."

"It already has, Danzo," Naruto stated, and everyone turned back to face him.

"Prior to coming here this morning, I sent out about five hundred clones throughout Konoha to deliver copies of these reports to every home in the village. The entire inhabitants of Konoha know exactly what happened here eighteen years ago, and the lies they were led to believe."

"Are you insane? You'll cause a mass riot!" Homura said angrily.

"No, I won't. I included a letter which asked everyone who believes these reports to be true to gather outside the Hokage tower after the Chuunin exams were completed."

"Do you really think that the people would do something so stupid? Their anger will make them behave like wild animals; they'll kill each other."

"You've never believed in the people of this village – have you, Homura…or you Sotaru. You two and Danzo just believe that the people here are sheep for you to herd wherever you please, but I won't allow it anymore. This ends today!"

"I applaud your thinking, brat, but all I have to do is make sure none of the council or clan elders leave here. The people will be so desperate for leadership that they will gladly follow me," Danzo said with a sinister smile.

"Over my dead body!" Naruto growled.

"That was my intention. Kill them all!"

A half a second later, the tip of a kunai was pressed against Danzo's throat.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Naruto growled and pushed the tip into the old man's throat enough to draw blood. Danzo turned his head and stared into the shinobi's burning red eyes.

"You have no intention of killing me, brat. Even if you did, my Root-nin would still kill everyone here, and their blood would be on your hands," his enemy said with a sadistic grin.

"No innocent will die today…"

As Naruto's voice trailed off, a blast of wind rushed through the stadium. A shadow clone appeared next to each Root-nin, and they fell to the ground dead. Danzo's eyes widened in shock at what just happened, and Naruto smirked evilly at the old man.

"Never underestimate me, you bastard, or you'll live to regret it. If you see Madara in hell, tell him I said hello," and Naruto's kunai flashed in a single strike. He returned it to his weapons' pouch and walked away from his opponent.

"What are you talking abou-"

Danzo's question was interrupted as his head came off his neck, and he fell to the ground – dead. Naruto did not look back at what he had done; instead, he walked towards Homura and Sotaru. The two elders were practically pissing in their pants as they watched the angry jinchuuriki stalk toward them.

"You two deserve the same fate as that monster, but I think I'd rather see what Ibiki-san will have planned once he gets a hold of you. There are fates worse than death, and you two deserve to experience all of them!" Naruto hissed.

By now, reinforcements had arrived at the stadium, and a dozen Anbu members appeared next to Naruto. Shooting a quick glance up at the Hokage, she nodded her head, and the blonde proceeded.

"Get these traitors out of here," he growled.

The two elders didn't even protest as they were led away; they were just happy to get away from Naruto's menacing eyes. Once the two elders were gone, the shinobi was mobbed by the audience. They all wanted to hug and thank him for saving their lives. The council was trying to shake his hand, but Naruto really only wanted to see one person.

"Alright everyone…please…that's enough!" he ordered and everyone quieted down.

"I merely did my job as any shinobi would. Our job is to protect our home from darkness and evil; I merely followed that rule. I am no different from any of the other honorable shinobi here today; I only wanted to protect the people important to me."

With that, Naruto flashed out of the middle of the crowd and appeared next to the person he wanted to see more than anyone else. He wrapped his arms around his mate from behind, and she pressed herself back against him.

"Sakura-chan…" he sighed and buried his face in her hair.

The pinkette smiled as she snuggled into his embrace, and her parents grinned at the couple's affection for each other.

"Mom…Dad…if you'll excuse us for a little while, Naruto and I have a date tonight."

"We do!" the blonde gasped and looked down at her confused.

"Yes, don't you remember?"

"Uh…no. Did I ask you?"

"No," Sakura replied.

"Did you ask me?" Naruto asked even more confused now.

"Yes, I'm asking you right now," Sakura teased.

"So Naruto…do we have a date tonight or what?"

"Who am I to pass up a date with the most beautiful kunoichi in the world?"

"Good answer. Now…before you get mobbed again, why don't you get us out of here?" she advised.

"Go on, you two, go have fun," Mrs. Haruno said with a smile on her face.

With her parents' approval, Sakura felt Naruto's arms tighten around her, and the two of them disappared right out of the stadium.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Well Tsunade, looks like Naruto took care of Danzo for you," Jiraiya said with a proud smile.

"The bastard got off easy. He should've been tortured for a few years first before dying," she growled.

"Well…Naruto did leave you Homura and Sotaru; I'm sure Ibiki will be more than happy to take care of them for you."

"I still can't believe that Naruto learned his father's Hiraishin technique," Kakashi said in astonishment.

"He didn't just learn it, Hatake; he's mastered it even more than his father did."

"How so?" the copy-nin prodded.

"Do you forget how the Hiraishin works? Normally, there has to be a seal or marker to where you want to travel, but Naruto merely used it to go wherever he wanted. He's expanded the technique to take him wherever he wants or needs to be. That's invaluable during battle to surprise your opponents."

"If Naruto can truly do that, he's clearly one of the most powerful and dangerous shinobi alive," Kakashi said with awe in his voice.

"Yes, he is. But you must remember, Kakashi…" Jiraiya said with a grin.

"Remember what?"

"…Naruto is only dangerous to those who threaten or hurt the people he cares about. He'll be your best friend, but if you hurt someone important to him, he'll hunt you to the ends of the earth."

"I'm glad that I'm on his good side then," Kakashi said with a laugh.

"We all are, Hatake," Tsunade added with a smile.

"Well then…we better get going, hime," Jiraiya said with a slight groan.

"Where are we going?"

"The Hokage tower. There's probably a lot of people there who are going to want an explanation."

"Dammit…this is gonna be a long day," Tsunade groaned as she jugged down the last of her sake.

XXXXXXXXXX

Naruto and Sakura appeared in her apartment, and he reluctantly let her go.

"So Sakura-chan…what would like to do on our date?"

"First things first, baka. You are going to take a very long shower right now!"

"But I took one this morning?" Naruto replied.

"You smell beyond ripe right now, and I sure as hell am not going on date with a man who stinks of blood and sweat."

"Ouch. Sakura-chan…that was mean," he pouted.

"Go on, Naruto. The sooner you clean up; the sooner we can go on our date. In fact, I have something very special planned for it."

"Really…what is it?"

"I'm not gonna tell you. Now…march!" Sakura ordered and pointed to her bathroom.

"Okay…but it better be good," Naruto muttered and headed for the shower.

Sakura grinned as she heard the water turn on.

'Oh yes, it will be good. I'm gonna give you a night you'll never forget.'

XXXXXXXXXX

Author's Notes: Well, I hope you guys liked the end of the fight. I was considering doing something with summons, but I realized that it wouldn't work in the middle of Konoha. I'm not sure yet whether I'm going to have Sasuke show up anymore in this since it is drawing close to an end, but we'll see. Thanks for all the support.


	15. Date Night under the Stars

After a thorough scrub down, Naruto wrapped a large towel around his waist and exited the bathroom. The site that met his eyes took his breath away. He never thought his mate could be anymore beautiful, but looking at her now, he swore that he had been bonded to a goddess.

"How do I look?"

Sakura did a slow turn, and she smiled at the awed look in her beloved's eyes. She was wearing a white kimono with patterns of cherry blossoms sown into it. Her hair was elegantly pinned up behind her head, and she wore just a hint of makeup. A pair of comfortable sandals covered her sock-clad feet, and her eyes held pure love in them.

"Sakura-chan…if I didn't already love you with everything that I am…I think I would fall in love with you all over again. You look…you look…there just aren't the words…"

Sakura loved it when he looked at her like this. She felt like the most beautiful and desirable woman in the world just from the look in Naruto's eyes. She also noticed a slight erection beginning to form under his towel, and she smiled inwardly. Her body was totally covered, and she was still turning him on. Damn, she loved him!

She put her hands up when he started to advance on her, and he pouted slightly. She pointed towards her bed, and he saw a dark blue kimono for himself to wear.

"Come on, baka, I'll help you change."

Nodding his head, Naruto turned around, and Sakura picked up the kimono. She opened the folds and held it out for him to put his arms through. He slipped into the soft material and pulled around the front of his body. Pulling his towel off, Naruto reached for his shorts when a small hand slid around his waist and wrapped around his cock. Sakura gave him an affectionate squeeze and felt the thick shaft immediately grow in her hand.

'One touch and he's hard as a rock; that's my Naruto!' she giggled inwardly. Her soft hand moved up and down teasingly, and her mate groaned at her actions.

"Sakura-chan…please…I don't want to walk around with an erection all night."

She knew he would too; Naruto's stamina was amazing. Of course, his stamina also meant that he satisfied her more times than most women dreamed of. Moving around in front of him, she locked her eyes with his, but her hand never stopped its slow but deliberate stroking.

"Sakura-chan…you're gonna make me lose it if you don't stop, and I don't want to ruin our date!" he nearly begged.

An evil smile crossed his beloved's face, and he gulped loudly as she increased her stroking.

"What if I want you to walk around hard all night, baka? What if I want the women of the village to see just how well hung you are? What if I want them to see what belongs to me and me alone?"

Her words cleared Naruto's head slightly, and he gripped her shoulders firmly.

"You never have to prove that I belong you, my beautiful mate – just know it in your heart. I am yours as you are mine. No one will ever take you from me, and no one will ever take me from you. That is my promise to you, Sakura-chan!"

His reply nearly made tears come to her eyes, but she still had a big problem to deal. A long, hard problem that filled her hand. She stopped her stroking, and Naruto blew out a sigh of relief. That is…until Sakura dropped to her knees. Not batting an eye, she wrapped her lips around the thick head of his shaft and swallowed him whole.

"Sakura-chan!" he gasped as her head began to bob up and down.

'You're a bad girl, Sakura,' Kyoko laughed mentally.

'Oh please, like you've never done this to Kyuubi before,' her host fired back.

'I never said I didn't; I'm glad to see we both enjoy driving our mates crazy!'

'Damn right!'

Naruto had no idea how long Sakura had been sucking on him. It felt like several hours, but he didn't give a damn. Nothing could make him want to stop the exquisiteness of her hot, moist cavern sliding up and down his shaft.

'Fuck…how did she get so good at this?'

'She learned from the best, kit. Kyoko's taught her well,' Kyuubi snickered.

'Dammit fox, why are you bothering me now?'

'You asked a question, and I gave you an answer.'

'Kyoko's been teaching Sakura how to give blowjobs!'

'I'm sure that's not the only thing, kit. Kyoko's one of the most knowledgeable vixens when it comes to sexual pleasure. I know that better than anybody. We have two hot, horny females that love to drive us crazy. So just shut-up and enjoy it!' he ordered before retreating inside Naruto's mind.

Sakura was humming softly as she deep-throated her beloved. Naruto's hands had found their way into her hair and were gently guiding her as she moved up and down. She could feel the tenseness in his body and hear his groans of pleasure. She enjoyed pleasing him like this especially when she was the cause of his rampant arousal. She felt every pulse and movement of his cock as he throbbed inside her mouth.

"Sakura-chan…too much…I can't…can't hold on…" came his word of warning, but she did not slow down.

A few more thrusts into that delicious orifice, and Naruto erupted down her throat. She tightened her lips around his shaft to make sure he was totally satisfied. Naruto just stared down at her as he watched her suck him dry, and Sakura placed an affectionate kiss on the head of his shaft before she stood back up. She licked her lips to clear off any residue of Naruto's release and grinned as he tried not to fall over.

"There now, that should hold you until later, right baka?" she teased.

"You're amazing!" he gasped and pulled her into his arms just as he lips smashed against hers.

After a thorough tongue lashing, Naruto pulled away to see Sakura now with a dazed expression on her face. He placed a soft kiss on her forehead and stepped back to quickly finish dressing himself.

He was done in a few seconds just as Sakura was recovering from that amazing kiss. Naruto smiled lovingly and held out his hand.

"Shall we go, Sakura-chan?"

"I love you, Naruto," she replied and took his hand.

He brought her fingertips to his lips and laid a soft kiss upon them making her blush slightly.

"Come on, baka, let's go," and she led him out the door.

As the happy couple exited Sakura's bedroom, they were surprised to see a swarm of people waiting for them outside. Before they could be seen, Ino managed to cut them off and pull them back into the hallway.

"That was close," the blonde said with relief.

"What are all those people doing here?" Sakura asked.

"Ask loverboy there, forehead, they're here to see him."

Immediately, Sakura thought the worst, and her eyes narrowed dangerously. Her chakra began to build, and Ino backed away from her slightly.

"If they're here to hurt Naruto, I'll kill them with my bare hands," she growled.

"Easy Sakura-chan, calm down," Naruto stated and put his hands on her shoulders.

"He's right, forehead. Do you think I would've let them stay anywhere near here if they had ill intentions? They're here to thank him for what he did today and to apologize to him."

Naruto's eyes were wide as plates; he didn't know what to think.

"Um…that's nice of them, but…that's not really necessary," he said sheepishly.

"The hell it isn't!" his mate replied angrily.

"Sakura-chan, as long as they realize the mistakes they made, I'm not going to dwell on the past."

"You're too damn noble, you know that?" the pinkette said with a groan.

"Come on, my cherry blossom, let's just go enjoy our date and forget about them."

"I wouldn't say that just yet, blondie, they pretty much clogged up the street. You're not getting out of here without them seeing you," Ino explained.

"It's not a problem," he replied with a wide grin.

"What are thinking, Naruto?" Sakura asked as she turned her head to look at him.

"Did you forget, Sakura-chan? Remember how we got here?"

"Of course, your father's Hiraishin technique," she said happily.

"Yup, just tell me where you want to go on our date, and I'll take us there."

"Good. Ino…did manage to get everything ready?" Sakura asked out of the blue. Her best friend smiled widely.

"Not a problem, forehead, Hinata and I got it all prepared. Just remember that you owe me for this big time."

"Thanks, Ino-pig, I really appreciate it," the cherry blossom said with a warm smile.

"What's going on?" Naruto broke in.

"It's a surprise, baka. Now, take us both up on top of the Hokage monument."

Naruto was a little surprised at her request. He would've figured they'd be going to a restaurant or something. Why would she want him to take her on top of the Hokage monument?

"Okay Sakura-chan, if that's what you want?"

He took her hand, and with a bit of concentration and chakra, the two lovers disappeared right in front of Ino.

"Damn, those two have got it bad!" the blonde said with a laugh.

The couple arrived at their destination and stopped to take in the gorgeous view. Naruto tightened his arms around his cherry blossom and nuzzled her neck.

"Hmm…I've always dreamed about standing here with you like this, Sakura-chan."

"You don't have to dream anymore, Naruto; I'm right here," and pressed herself back against his chest.

The lovers basked in the warmth of each other for a few minutes before Sakura reluctantly stepped out of his arms and pulled him away from the cliff. She led him down one of the paths and through a slightly wooded area.

"Where are we going?" Naruto inquired.

"Come on, baka, we're almost there."

After another minute or so, the two shinobi emerged into a large clearing. Naruto's eyes widened as he saw a large blanket laid out along with a picnic basket and utensils all ready for use.

"Hmm, I figured everyone would be looking for you after the events at the stadium. So, I decided we should just have our date privately," Sakura explained with a wide smile.

"Thank you, Sakura-chan, this is perfect."

The pair sat down on the blanket, and the pinkette opened the basket. Naruto was ecstatic when she handed him a huge bowl of ramen – courtesy of Ichiraku. Sakura, herself, had a chicken salad along with chow mien noodles and rice. Naruto's stomach announced its need for sustenance, and his lover grinned before they dug into their meal.

Sakura was surprised to see that Naruto didn't wolf down his food, but took his time, and actually ate normally. It warmed her heart to know he was doing his best to be polite.

By the time the two finished their meal, the evening sky had crept over Konoha, and the stars twinkled in the heavens. Sakura pulled a second blanket out of the basket and stood up.

"Come on, let's go."

"Where to?"

"You'll see," she said with a grin.

Sakura led them back to the Hokage monument's cliff that overlooked Konoha. She laid the blanket down on the ground and pointed down.

"Sit," she ordered, and Naruto cocked his head to the side in curiosity but obeyed her.

He got his answer a moment later when Sakura sat down in his lap. She leaned her back against his chest and pulled his arms around her.

"Thank you for tonight, Sakura-chan."

"I would've preferred something more elaborate, but it was short notice so I had to enlist Ino and Hinata to help set this all up."

She felt his arms tighten around her, and soft kisses being laid on her neck.

"My cherry blossom, this was perfect. You know me; I don't need anything flashy or expensive. All I want is to be with you."

Sakura once again felt like the luckiest woman in the world to have this man love her.

"However, when it comes to you, I definitely want to make sure you have everything you deserve," he continued.

"What do you mean?"

Naruto let her go and reach into his kimono with his right hand. His other hand picked up Sakura's left hand, and she turned to face him with a curious look on her face.

"What are you doing?"

"Making us official, my wife."

Sakura's eyes widened when he opened his right hand to reveal a beautiful gold ring. It had a large diamond in the center flanked on each side by a sapphire and an emerald.

"Naruto…I…I…" she couldn't find the words to saying anything right now; she clearly wasn't expecting this.

"I, Naruto Namikaze, take you Sakura Haruno as my wife, partner, best friend, and lover from now until forever. I promise to love you, protect you, and do you my best to make you happy for the rest of your life."

With those words, he slid the ring onto her third finger; it was a perfect fit. Tears were brimming in her eyes, but she held them back. She turned around in his lap and cupped his face in her hands.

"I, Sakura Haruno, take you as my husband, partner, best friend, and lover from now until forever. I promise to love you, support you, and never let anyone hurt you ever again – including myself."

They sealed their vows with a heated kiss, and Sakura straddled his waist. She rocked her hips against his, and the friction between them was delicious. Feeling his erection begin to rise, Sakura pulled back and stared into his shimmering, blue eyes.

"Make love to me, my husband – right here right now."

Reaching her, the pinkette undid the obi wrapped around her waist, and the material loosened drastically. Naruto watched the folds of her kimono fall open to reveal nothing underneath but his cherry blossom's gorgeous body. He smirked widely and shifted her into the right position.

"Such a naughty vixen, Sakura-chan, were you planning to seduce me this entire time? Is that why you aren't wearing underwear?"

"I don't need to plan anything, Naruto; I know you want me. I just love teasing you," and she opened his kimono to gain access to his manhood.

Naruto helped her release his now straining erection from his shorts just before Sakura shoved him down on to his back. Sakura grasped his mighty shaft and aimed it at her glistening entrance.

Naruto thought he was looking at an angel. The moon was shining behind her, and the beautiful kimono draped around her body seemed to accentuate her beautiful breasts and supple thighs. He growled as she ran the head of cock up and down her womanhood.

"Sakura-chan," he growled.

"Hmm…watch me, Naruto. Watch me put your huge cock right inside my tight, little hole – where it belongs," and she sank down onto him.

The blonde yanked her down into his arms and crushed his lips against hers. His hands cupped her firm, round ass, and he began pounding into her lithe, young body. He listened to her moans of pleasure as they carried themselves off into their own private world once more.

'Yes Sakura-chan, this is where I belong – lost inside your sweet body for all time.'

Author's Notes: For those of you who thought I was going to abandon this story, here's mud in your eye. Of course, I wouldn't abandon this story. I appreciate everybody's patience, and I think that next time will probably be the final chapter – not sure yet though.


	16. Weddingoh yeah

Naruto stood on top of his father's head overlooking Konoha and took a deep breath. He had loved this view since he was a child, and it was still his favorite place in the entire village. He did a lot of thinking here, and he had made love to the woman of his dreams here. A grin crossed his face as he remembered that night; neither of them got any sleep.

Today, though, was the most important day of his life. No…he wasn't being named the Hokage…he wasn't being named the hero of Konoha…he wasn't seeing Sasuke turn over a new leaf. Today was the day that he…that he…

"Naruto!" a voice called out, and the blonde turned his head to see Kiba running towards him.

"What the hell are you doing here?" the Inazuka nearly demanded.

"Nothing…just thinking I guess."

"Are you crazy? You have to be there in thirty minutes! Come on, Hinata's never gonna forgive me if you're late!"

"Henpecked already, are you Kiba? Our little Hinata is quiet strict with you, huh?" Naruto said with a laugh.

"Shut-up, you idiot. You're one to talk; Sakura has you wrapped around her little finger."

'He's got you there, kit' Kyuubi laughed mentally.

"Alright, let's do this!" the blonde said with a bright smile.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Where the hell is my veil, Ino-pig?" Sakura roared across the small living room.

"Shut-up, forehead, I'm putting it on now," her best friend hissed right back.

Sakura was seated in the middle of her parent's living room with numerous kunoichi fussing over her. Hinata and Ayumi were making sure her kimono wasn't too long so she wouldn't trip over it, Tsunade and her mother were checking her makeup to make sure nothing look unbalanced on her complexion, and Ino was putting the finishing touches on her hair so she could set the veil on top of her head.

After the final evaluations passed, each of the women helped to settle the long, silk cloth over her head.

"You look gorgeous, my daughter," her mother said with tears in her eyes.

Taking a deep breath, Sakura stood to her feet and turned to look in the full-length mirror Ino had set up on the far wall. She even took her own breath away. Ayumi had done a magnificent job on the kimono; it didn't feel heavy and fit wonderfully. Her mother and shishou had listened to her and not overdone her makeup – just enough to accentuate her natural beauty. Her green eyes were sparkling, and her heart was nearly pounding out of her chest. Yes, this is how she wanted to look on her wedding day.

"I just hope Naruto doesn't pass out when he sees you," Ino teased.

"Don't worry, he won't," Tsunade said with a confident smile.

"How do you know that, shishou?" her apprentice questioned.

"That's simple. Do you think he would dare risk my or worse your wrath for acting like a baka on your wedding day? If necessary, I even instructed Shikamaru to freeze him upright if he starts to faint!"

All the women laughed, and Sakura enjoyed the lightening of the mood. A determined look in her eyes and a smile on her face, she headed for the door.

"Alright, let's go," she said firmly, and her friends and mother followed her.

XXXXXXXXXX

Naruto stood at the head of a long, white aisle. He loved Sakura's idea of doing this outdoors, and it was a perfect day for it – warm but not hot. A group of their closest friends and family made up the crowd. Everyone had accepted their invitations. He smiled as he saw some of his oldest friends from Wave Country and the great Naruto bridge village. He grinned as he saw Gamakichi and Gamatatsu sitting in the back like two sentinels guarding the ceremony. Gamabunta wanted to come as well, but he and Naruto had both agreed that his presence might be a little imposing.

Running his eyes across the crowd, Naruto saw all the friends he had gained from all his adventures; he'd never have the time to name them all; but he loved every one of them. He smiled as Yukie the snow princess waved at him and winked. Shion was sitting next to her and drawing quite a bit of attention from the male attendees for her exotic beauty and priestess robes.

Naruto felt a small pang of regret that Sasuke was not here, but the teme had made his choice a long time ago, and he would have to accept that. The Uchiha was currently in the middle of a two year assignment on the opposite side of the continent – courtesy of Tsunade.

Naruto saw each of the rookie nine and their families as well. His eyes landed on the head of the Hyuuga clan, the now village elder gave Naruto a slight nod, and the blonde returned it. It was Hiashi who had led the ruling that Naruto's exile be overturned, and after his performance at the Chuunin exams, no council member was going to question that decision.

Sakura had been so happy for him that she'd nearly fucked him clear through the floor that night; her neighbors were complaining about the noise for weeks; but he didn't give a damn.

XXXXXXXXXX

Dragging himself out of that pleasant memory, Naruto saw the second most beloved woman in his life head down the aisle towards him.

Tsunade hated formal wear with a passion, but she would endure it for her wonderful blockhead. Naruto was surprised to see Jiraiya following her down the aisle. For a moment, he wondered if the two Sannin were going to do the ceremony jointly until he watched his teacher take a seat in the front row. He gave an inward sigh of relief.

Tsunade grinned slightly as she reached Naruto, and she saw his eyes asking her a question.

"Don't worry, Naruto, I wouldn't dare ask him to help me do the ceremony," she whispered with a grin.

The final few minutes ticked away, and Naruto composed himself for what was about to happen.

XXXXXXXXXX

A hush fell over the crowd as the musicians began a soft, gentle melody. The blonde's palms were soaked, but he forced himself to calm down.

'Calm down, kit, you feel the same way I would if it was Kyoko walking down that aisle; it's means you're ready.'

'Thanks for the vote of confidence, fox.'

The procession began as Shikamaru escorted Temari down the aisle. Like Naruto, he was dressed in the traditional black outer kimono with a white under kimono. Sakura had chosen a mixture of lavender and cream colors for her bridesmaids' kimonos, and it looked lovely.

The pair separated as they reached the front of the aisle. Shikamaru took his place several steps behind Naruto, and Temari took her place at the end of the opposite side. The next couple was Kiba and Hinata, and Naruto grinned inwardly as he remembered their ceremony a little over a month ago. They both looked a lot less nervous since this wasn't their wedding, and Kiba looked a lot more confidant as he led his wife down the aisle. The pair separated before reaching Naruto, and now, it was Ino and Chouji's turn.

It had caused quite a stir when their relationship had become public knowledge, but Ino vehemently showed that she didn't give a damn about how people felt. When the rumors began to circulate, Ino had grabbed the bull by horns and practically made out with Chouji in the middle of Konoha's market during a busy day. After their public display of affection, Ino had laid down the law and said that anyone who didn't approve of their relationship could kiss her ass. Since then, no one had questioned their seeing one another.

As the couple separated, Ino winked at Naruto, and he returned it. She knew he was waiting to see Sakura.

The second to last couple made their way down the aisle as Gaara escorted Sakura's mother. Once at the front, Mrs. Haruno released his hand and took her seat while Gaara took his place at Naruto's side as his best man.

XXXXXXXXXX

The music stopped and silence fell over the crowd as Sakura's father began to lead his daughter down the aisle. The music began again, but Sakura didn't notice. Her eyes scanned through the crowd at all the people she had met since she was a young ninja until they finally came to rest on the man she had chosen.

Naruto's eyes were locked on her own and never wavered. He looked beyond handsome in his wedding kimono, but he had Ayumi make a very special addition. Embroidered across the back was an incredibly realistic replica of Kyuubi; Sakura's wedding kimono also had a matching embroidery of Kyoko on her back as well. It was a tribute to the couple's closest friends – literally - , and the kitsunes were humbled by the gesture.

Sakura barely felt her father let go of her hand, and she took her place automatically without looking away from her husband. She barely registered Tsunade's words as she proceeded through the ceremony until the Hokage stated that it was time for their vows to one another.

"Sakura…" the Hokage said simply.

XXXXXXXXXX

What happened next shocked everyone in attendance – even Naruto. Sakura bowed her head and calmly knelt down. Placing her hands in her lap in the classic pose of a submissive Japanese wife – something she absolutely was not – she spoke softly yet clearly.

"I promise to do my best to be a good wife to you and make you happy. I promise to never allow harm to come to you – either by others or myself. I know that I have my faults but please accept me because I love you."

Her words stunned the crowd – including the Hokage and even her bridesmaids. Even Ino was shocked at her posture and words. She had never known Sakura to act submissive before, and here she was doing just that – for Naruto.

The jinchuuriki felt his love for his cherry blossom increase ten-fold at her wondrous gesture, but he did not wish her to believe that she needed to act this way with him. It was not who she was.

XXXXXXXXXX

Sakura's head remained lowered until she saw a hand appear in front of her face. Lifting her gaze, she saw Naruto bent forward with his arm extended like a gallant prince.

"Allow me…my lady," he said simply, and she lifted her hand to clasp in his.

Naruto helped her back to her feet but did not release her hand. Getting down on one knee, he laid a soft kiss on her hand and looked up into her now shining, green eyes.

"Sakura-chan, the only thing that would make me unhappy is if you change; you are perfectly imperfect. I love you as you are and will always do so. I promise to protect you and see to it that our life together is as happy as it can be. Never bow your head to me again. You are not lesser than me; you are my equal. Better still, you are my best friend and partner. You are my wife and my other half. Never doubt yourself, Sakura-chan, for you will always have my heart – today, tomorrow, and forever."

By the time that Naruto rose back up to his feet, Sakura had tears streaming down her cheeks, and several members of their crowds had to wipe their eyes. Even Tsunade was not unaffected by their actions.

Naruto released her hand and opened his arms. Sakura stepped forward and straight into the arms that had always been waiting for her. Their faces were inches apart and getting closer. Neither of them heard Tsunade continue.

"By giving your declarations and promises to each other in the presence of these witnesses…" she trailed as she saw neither the bride nor groom acknowledged what she was saying.

"…To hell with the details…you two are married! Now, just kiss for heaven's sakes!" she practically ordered.

Naruto needed no encouragement as he captured his wife's delectable mouth. Her hands sunk into his blonde hair, and their tongues fought an intimate duel.

XXXXXXXXXX

Cheers and whistles went up from the crowd, but the happy couple were oblivious to anything but each other. It was a good five minutes before they managed to peel away from each other, but they both just wanted to start all over again.

"I love you, Naruto Namikaze."

"And I love you, Sakura Namikaze."

Her smile rivaling the sun in its brightness, Sakura reluctantly stepped back out of his arms. At his questioning look, her smile turned into a grin, and she yanked the silk off of her head and shook out her pink hair.

"Finally!" she gasped in relief, and Naruto just grinned at her.

Cocking her head down the aisle, Sakura looked at her husband with an impish gleam in her eyes.

"Come on, baka, let's go enjoy our party," she said firmly.

Giving her the foxy grin that always made her knees weak, Naruto swept her up into his arms and proceeded to dash down the aisle with her.

"Whatever you, Sakura-chan, whatever you say," he laughed as Sakura just rolled her eyes and laughed right along with him.

XXXXXXXXXX

Author's Notes: That's it! I know you guys might have been thinking it should've been more dramatic. Let me say this, this story was only supposed to be a one-shot, and it grew from 20 pages to 180 pages. I really loved this story, and I didn't want to compromise the work by making it longer. I had always thought about the time-skip ending, and I thought it worked out pretty well. As far as the wedding, do you really think that Naruto and Sakura's wedding would ever be normal. With those two, not a chance in hell! I don't think there will be an epilogue; I'm pretty happy with ending it here.


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